Q + A: Sophie Reiser - A college senior's experience at the Red Stars combine

How was this experience different from your previous experiences in the soccer world? How was it different from college soccer?

This experience was very different from any youth or college experience because everyone is strangers competing for a very very select few spots. In youth soccer, you get recruited while playing with your own teammates, so there is a sense of familiarity and comfort. In college, you compete for starting positions, but again, it's with your own teammates, so you're not looking to prove that you're the best all the time - you know the coaches, you know your abilities, and you know your role on the team. In a combine like this though, there are not allegiances, and everyone is out there for themselves. It is a very short two-day period of close examination of everyone's talents, and you have to be showing your best the entire time. It is incredibly competitive because everyone that is here has the same goal - to make it to the next level - and is willing to do whatever it takes to get there, and you have to be prepared for that.

What was the most challenging part of your experience at the Red Stars combine?

The most challenging part of the combine was getting over making mistakes. Obviously no one is perfect - we all take a bad touch or make a bad pass every once in a while. But when the pressure is on and you know that coaches are watching, the most important thing to do is get over it. You can take one bad touch, but after that you have to move on because the worst thing you can do is dwell on it and then keep making bad decisions. Once you let it go, you relax, enjoy it, and play better. It's hard to remember that all the time though. 

And what positives will you take away from your experience here in Chicago?

The entire experience of the combine was positive. Being put in an environment where you don't always know what to expect, who your teammates are, and what the outcome is going to be is generally pretty uncomfortable. But staying positive and turning that challenge into an exciting possibility to meet new people and become a better player is the best way to learn from an experience like this. Plus, I had a great time in Chicago - the coaches were awesome, I met some really cool people, and learned a lot of great tips for training that I will definitely be using in the future.

Do you anticipate being drafted to a WPS team?

Getting drafted by a WPS team would be a great experience. For any player to "anticipate" being drafted is ambitious, because you never know what types of players coaches are looking for. Getting drafted would be a great way to focus on training for one club, but I am definitely prepared to continue training and trying out if I do not get drafted.

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I wish Sophie all the best in her future soccer career. Hopefully we'll see her at Toyota Park with the Red Stars in the upcoming season.

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Photo Credit:  dwightsghost Flickr Account