The Starting 11: Becky Sauerbrunn
Saturday, March 22, 2008
By: WPS
As Women’s Professional Soccer prepares for its April 2009 kickoff, we will be introducing, or in some cases re-acquainting, the league’s prospective players to fans with The Starting 11, which are 11 things you need to know about each woman.
A three-time NSCAA All-American at the University of Virginia, Becky Sauerbrunn is on the fringes of the U.S. National Team, who she debuted for at the Four Nations Tournament in January. Playing in Women’s Professional Soccer is also on her to-do list and if fate allows, she could suit up for her hometown team.
On growing up in the soccer hotbed of St. Louis:
St. Louis has a good soccer history. You’re always surrounded by soccer, especially on the men’s side. Because of that there are a lot of good male coaches out there. I was lucky enough to play on a guys’ team for a long time before I switched over to a girls’ club. When I was on the girls’ club, I had a lot of great coaches so it definitely helps growing up in St. Louis.
On playing at the same youth soccer club, JB Marine, that fellow St. Louis native and U.S. National Team member Lori Chalupny, who is a year older than Sauerbrunn, played for:
When we trained with JB sometimes the age groups would train together, so we could have a lot of numbers. So I got to train with Lori for awhile. She’s always been a phenomenal player. She’s always stood out among the rest. It’s always nice being able to compete against someone like her.
(Aaron James Kehoe/isiphotos.com)
A St. Louis native, center back Becky Sauerbrunn played for the same youth club as fellow National Team member Lori Chalupny.
On which WPS team she would like to play for:
I’d love to play anywhere. St. Louis would be great. All of the cities sound amazing. I’ll just be happy if I make a team.
On her game:
I play center back and I’m a pretty simple player. I like to keep possession of the ball. I feel I’m decent with 1-v-1 defending. I’m decent in the air. I don’t really play a lot of long balls, but I like to keep possession.
On the most memorable goal she scored:
I would have to say it was probably my first collegiate goal. We were already winning by a lot, but it’s just a great feeling to actually score a goal, especially from a position such as center back that you rarely hear scores. I believe it was a set piece on the wing. One of the girls on my team just bent it in and I got my head on it and it went far post.
On the best part of being a member of the team that represented the U.S. at the 2004 FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship in Thailand:
Wow, that’s a hard question because every single thing was amazing. I would have to say the first part of the tournament that we played in Thailand when we were in Phuket. It was just a wonderful atmosphere. Our hotel was on the beach and our first round games were all in Phuket. We got like 10,000 fans. All the people in Thailand were just super nice and just really supportive. I think it was just that whole atmosphere that just made it so special.
On the player she most looks up to:
I would always say Michelle Akers is someone that any female soccer player can look up to just because of what she did and what she went through and how she battled through Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and still did so amazing, so I’d have to say her.
On the most important thing she learned at the University of Virginia:
After you play a game or after you leave a training session, think about it but then let it go. Don’t ever let it seep into the next game. Just move from day to day. Don’t look at the past. Don’t look at the future. Just focus on the present. (Head Coach) Steve [Swanson] has helped me a lot with this.
On her lack of a nickname:
I’ve actually never really had nicknames. On one of my first club teams with girls at St. Louis United, we all had little funny nicknames and mine was Ace, but there was never a story behind it. Then here on the National Team, the girls call me Becks, so that’s not exactly a nickname.
On what she wants to pursue professionally after her soccer career is over:
I’m actually trying to get my masters at Virginia. I’m in the education school so I’m trying to become an English teacher. So after soccer’s done I wouldn’t mind becoming a teacher and becoming a coach.
On her favorite books:
My favorite books are probably the Power of One by Bryce Courtenay, and then there’s a sci-fi book I really like called Enders Game by Orson Scott Card. There’s Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. Everything is Illuminated is about the holocaust. The Power of One is kind of a story of a kid that comes from the wrong side of the tracks and has this goal to be the welterweight champion of the world. It talks about his struggle of growing up in South Africa during the time of apartheid and Hitler coming into Africa. Then Enders Game is another story kind of like that about perseverance.