Tell us your soccer story. Why did you start playing soccer and why are you still playing today?

I grew up in KC playing for Futura FC coached by Vlatko Andonovski, one of many influential coaches I had in the youth game. I grew up watching my mom play soccer, and always having the dream of playing at the highest level, especially with my parents full support. As I’ve gotten older I have had the chance to meet some of the most influential female coaches I have had the chance to work with and the impact that they have had on me has given me a different “why” in both the player and the coach that I want to be.

Tell us about now. When you aren’t with KC Courage, what are you doing?

When I am not with the KC Courage, I stay busy with coaching! I am the goalkeeper coach at Avila University for the mens and women’s teams , and the Director of Goalkeeping for KC Athletics, while also having two youth girls teams. If I’m not coaching I’m spending time with family.

Where did you play in college, what drew you to that program, and why did you want to continue playing after you graduated?

I played at Eastern Michigan University in the Mid America Conference. I was drawn to Ypsilanti, Michigan on my visit- I wanted to go somewhere away from my hometown. The coaching staff has been there for quite awhile, and it was important to me to be coached by the coaches that recruited me.

What position do you play and why do you prefer it over other places on the field?

I am a goalkeeper, and I prefer this spot on the field because it’s challenging in all parts of the game, and I love the pressure. You have to be a good communicator, willing to put your body on the line and be comfortable with the ball at your feet.

The pandemic has really impacted our lives, including sports. How did you stay fit when everything was shut down and how did it impact you as a person and athlete?

When the pandemic hit I focused on trying to have a balance, making sure I was eating good and spending a majority of my time outside being active. Further into the pandemic I was introduced to AGY Performance by owner Jason Belz, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. AGY is the reason I’ve had the ability to peruse my dream of playing professionally post college.

What are you looking forward to most this season with KC Courage?

I look forward to the environment that is created from day one at practice for the KC Courage. We have high school players to post college players, all with different goals and the coaching staff has this ability to create this trust within the team that allows us to play at a high level in such a short period of time. The Courage has built a staff that gives us players the opportunity to grow in every part of being an athlete. It’s the best time of the year!

Women’s soccer has made tremendous strides over the years, and there are more and more opportunities for women to not only continue playing post-college but also coach. How else do you think women’s sports can grow in terms of equality and accessibility?

There is a lot of room for growth especially in women’s sports, but in terms of equality and accessibility I think the biggest way we can help bridge the gap is giving back as females in sport. The more women we can get into coaching and supporting roles the faster the impact will be to existing female athletes.

What are your plans post playing career? Do you want to coach or work in sports?

My plan post playing career is too continue my coaching education, and coach in some sort of capacity.

The title graphic for this article is the work of Cory Mizer. A long-time contributor to Protagonist Soccer, Cory has created some of the best player profile cover shots we’ve ever seen. Here’s a link to a gallery of his work for our site.