Get To Know Me (Future of the Game) – Mia McVay

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the year, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which is meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

  1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
  2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
  3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Mia McVay

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Sara McVay and John McVay

High School Soccer Team: Girls Bellevue West High School Soccer Varsity Team

Position: Left defender

Club Team: Evolution Soccer Club 6

Grade: 9th

What is your favorite subject in school? Why?

History because I find it interesting to learn about what life was like in the past.

What are your goals as an individual player? What are you doing to achieve those goals?

My goals as an individual player is to earn an opportunity to play college soccer. In order to reach those goals, I am going to continue to work hard all the time, stay determined, focus on improving my skills, and be a good teammate. 

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why? 

Marcelo Vieira because he plays the same position as me. I also like watching how he masters that position, which helps me out with skills and things I can do in that position during my games.

 

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on TwitterInstagram, or listen to our podcast.

Get To Know Me (Future of the Game) – Madelyn White

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the year, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which is meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

  1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
  2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
  3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Madelyn White

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Michael and Gillian White

High School Soccer Team: Gretna High School Girls Varsity Soccer

Position: Right and Left forward, but sometimes center forward

Club Team: Midwest Premier Academy NPL ‘04

Grade: I am currently in my Sophomore year (10th)

What is your favorite subject in school? Why?

My favorite subject in school is Biology because I feel it comes easy to me.  I love learning about all the different cells and how species have evolved.

What are your goals as an individual player? What are you doing to achieve those goals? 

My goals as an individual player are to become unpredictable and move off the ball better.  To achieve these goals, I come to practice ready to work hard and learn from not only my coaches but my teammates as well.  I will also train on my own.  A future goal of mine is to play ball in college and beyond.

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why?

Tobin Heath is by far my favorite player because she is athletic, passionate, and a great leader. Tobin gives her all every game and takes control of the field.

 

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on TwitterInstagram, or listen to our podcast.

 

Get To Know Me (Player Spotlight) – Cole Hoppe

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the year, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which is meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

  1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
  2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
  3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Cole Hoppe

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Maureen and Scott Hoppe
High School Soccer Team: Bellevue West Boys
Position: Center Back
Club Team: Gretna Elite Academy 03’ NPL
Grade: Senior
What is your favorite subject in school? Why?
Math; I’ve always been pretty good at it and enjoy problem solving
What are your future plans? 
I’m continuing my academic and athletic career at William Jewell College
Who’s your favorite soccer player and why?
Virgil Van Dijk; He is arguably the best defender in the world so he is a great player to analyze and learn.
Throughout your high school career, you have undoubtedly learned many lessons and matured as a player. Based on those lessons and experiences, give three pieces of advice to your freshman self. 
Don’t take any training session for granted. Being disciplined enough to do the little things everyday will make a big difference later. Take care of your body outside of training with your recovery, it is very important.
Who has helped you become the player that you are today? How did they help you? Is there anything you would like to tell them?
Many people have helped me in becoming the player I am today and I am blessed to have so many supportive people in my life. My club team and coach Chris Dunford really pushed me to becoming a better player though. I’m very thankful to be apart of that team.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on TwitterInstagram, or listen to our podcast.

Get To Know Me (Player Spotlight) – Alyssa Judkins

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the year, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which is meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

  1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
  2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
  3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

 

Alyssa Judkins

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Barb and Greg Judkins

High School Soccer Team: Burke Girls Varsity Soccer

Position: Center back (left)

Club Team: Sporting Omaha FC 2002/2003  Premier

Grade: 12

 

What is your favorite subject in school? Why?

Physics. I like the math processes of it, figuring out  how things work, and it helps that I have a really great physics teacher at Burke.

What are your future plans?

I’ll be attending Creighton University  playing soccer there and majoring in a science or math field.

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why?

My favorite current women’s player is Kelly O’Hara. She’s the type of defender that I always wanted  to be, aggressive, competitive, smart, and has the ability to get forward and join the attack. I also just  love watching her play because you see just how competitive she is and how she fights for every  single ball throughout the entire game no matter what.

My favorite current men’s player is Heung-Min Son. He is a forward/midfielder for the English Premier  League team, Tottenham, which happens to be my favorite team in the EPL. Son is so extremely fun to  watch. With his insane speed and his vision of the field, he’s such a pure goal scorer, especially with his  partner forward Harry Kane. I also really appreciate how his reaction when he scores a goal never changes, even after scoring so many in his career. His love for the game is still as strong as ever.

Throughout your high school career, you have undoubtedly learned many lessons and matured as a  player. Based on those lessons and experiences, give three pieces of advice to your freshman self.  

  • Trust your instincts: A lot of times, especially as an underclassman, you may think or want to  do something a certain way, but your brain gets in the way saying that you must be wrong,  “you’re just a freshman”. But most of the time you know yourself the best, therefore know  the best way for you to succeed. Trust your gut and be confident that your knowledge of the  game is just as strong as anyone else’s.

  • Take everything as a learning experience: High school soccer can be very different from club soccer, and sometimes very intimidating. You are joining a whole new player pool and trying  to make an impact with this new group of people that you barely know. But with every new  experience comes a chance to learn new things. Even if things aren’t going the way you  thought they would, take the chance to learn new things, try a new position, or work on your  technical or tactical skills. Keep getting better, no matter the situation.

  • Don’t let others affect your work ethic: This is a lesson I got from a past club coach, Jake  Watson. Going into high school season, I knew that it would be a lot different from club. I  wouldn’t have my teammates to push me and have that external force driving me forward.  So, when you lose one driving force, you need to create another within yourself. You need to  learn to motivate yourself and even if the others around you aren’t working hard, do the extra  sprint, stay focused on your technique, and try to perfect every part of your game.

Who has helped you become the player that you are today? How did they help you? Is there anything  you would like to tell them?

There are 2 coaches who have made me into the player I am today, both of whom have taught me  completely different, but extremely important lessons about the game of soccer. The first, and  possibly the most influential, was one of my first club coaches, Sean McCoy. He was my coach from  the age of 11 to 13. During those years, Sean taught me the grit, the physicality, and the raw mentality  of the game of soccer. He also began the process of building my leadership and confidence on and off  the field. His coaching is what built me from the ground up. The lesson’s he taught me were exactly  what I needed at that age that allowed my love for the game to grow as the years went on. The  second coach who was a huge influence on my game was Alex Mason. Alex taught me the intellectual  side of the game. The importance of watching soccer, my technical ability, and my tactical awareness  were all built from the lessons he taught me as my coach. The combination of the two coach’s abilities  to build every part of my game was so instrumental to my progression as player. But through their  years of coaching they never forgot to teach me how soccer is a sport that requires you to love the  game. Through the good and the bad, they encouraged me to always enjoy playing like it was the last  time I would ever touch a ball. For that and for the immense time they have spent helping me and  training me, I would like to give them a huge thank you. I will always remember the lessons you  taught me and will use them for the rest of my life.

Could you see yourself coaching soccer someday? Is that a path that you are interested? 

Coaching is an interesting thing to me. I do love the tactical side of soccer and teaching or helping  people understand that side of the game has always been one of my favorite parts. But coaching is  still a very daunting task for me to look at. Because I’ve had such great and incredible coaches it  seems almost impossible to step into their shoes and do the same thing they’ve done. It’s like the standard for coaching is so incredibly high that I feel very hesitant to attempt it. But if the chance  were to ever come to me someday, I think my competitive spirit would definitely take over and I would have to give it a go.

 

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on TwitterInstagram, or listen to our podcast.

Get To Know Me (Player Spotlight) – Riley Wrhel

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the year, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which is meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

  1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
  2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
  3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

 

Riley Wrhel

Parent/Guardian: Janet Wrhel

High School Team: Lincoln Northeast High School Girls Soccer

Position: I typically play center defensive midfielder

Grade: I am a senior

What is your favorite subject in school? Why? 

My favorite subject is science because ever since i was younger I enjoyed all the aspects that went into it and the chemical reactions.

What are your future plans?

I will be continuing my academic and soccer career at Hastings College

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why?

My favorite soccer player is Carli Lloyd. She is a big team player and never gives up no matter what obstacles are thrown at her. Her mentality is what I dream of having.

Throughout your high school career, you have undoubtedly learned many lessons and matured as a player. Based on those lessons and experiences, give three pieces of advice to your freshman self.

When I was a freshman I came into the team very nervous and with little to no confidence in my abilities. I would probably tell freshman me that it’s ok to make mistakes but you have to recover quickly from them and not dwell on the past. I would also probably tell her that it doesn’t matter what other people say about you or your abilities, you know who you are and that’s all that matters. Finally I would tell her to just relax and have fun. It’s only high school.

Who has helped you become the player that you are today? How did they help you? Is there anything you would like to tell them?

The main people that have helped me become who I am are my coaches and my teammates. They are supportive and help whenever I need help but push enough where it makes me want to be better. The main thing I would like to tell them is just Thank you. Thank you for always being there and helping me.

 

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on TwitterInstagram, or listen to our podcast.

Get To Know Me (Future of the Game) – Elizabeth Brezenski

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the year, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which is meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

  1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
  2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
  3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

 Elizabeth (Libbie) Brezenski

 

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Kristie and Jon Brezenski
High School Soccer Team: Columbus Scotus Girls
Position: Forward/Attacking Midfield
Club Team: I used to play on the Columbus 2005 Calcio team which stands for kick in Italian, and I used to guest play on the Papillion Mystics Club team but I am not currently playing on a club team.
Grade: Sophomore.
What is your favorite subject in school? Why? 
I love science because it gives me a chance to better understand how everything “came to be.”
What are your future plans?
I want to attend a four year college and either major in business or pre-nursing. Those are two very different majors but I can see myself both running a bakery and helping in the medical field as a nurse anesthetist. 
Who’s your favorite soccer player and why? 
Growing up I loved to watch Carli Lloyd because I admired her goal scoring ability and I wanted to grow up to be just like her when I got older.
Who has helped you become the player that you are today? How did they help you? Is there anything you would like to tell them? 
My parents have influenced my love of soccer since I was practically born. They would take me to all their soccer practices and teach me how to do their moves so that I could learn from a young age of how the sport works. Now that I am at the age of the girls I grew up looking up to, it gives me a thought of ‘Wow. You have dreamed of these moments since you were little, now give it all you got.’ I want to say an immense thank you to them because I could not be where I am as a soccer player and as a person if I did not have such great people raising me.
Could you see yourself coaching soccer someday? Is that a path that you are interested in following? If so, why?
I want to be an assistant coach one day because I want to help other girls love the sport as much as I do and have fun and be successful while doing so. I want to follow in the footsteps of my parents and be able to have as much success as they have had in their years of coaching.

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on TwitterInstagram, or listen to our podcast.

 

Class B Championship Previews

Class B Boys – Omaha Skutt vs. Lexington – Wednesday, May 19th @ 8:00 PM

Omaha Skutt Catholic – #1 Seed (20-1)

Road To The Finals

  • Quarterfinals – Defeated Platteview 10-0
  • Semifinals – Defeated Bennington 3-1

Key Players

  • #0 Zach Weis – Senior goalkeeper that has allowed just three goals in 21 appearances. The Nebraska Wesleyan commit is a leader in the net and a major impacter on the game. Weis has excellent hands, quality distribution, and the confidence to play keeper at a high level.
  • #1 Andrew Davidson – Senior midfielder that controls the game from his central position. Davidson has accumulated 9 goals and 15 assists this season. He is a consistent threat that has scored or assisted in every game this season.
  • #4 Caleb Vos – Another Nebraska Wesleyan commit. Vos will be taking his impressive footwork, motor, and soccer IQ to the next level. He is exciting to watch as he runs the lanes on the side of the field. 10 goals and 11 assists on the season.
  • #10 John Meyers – Senior defender that has been a stable force on the backline. Meyers has partnered with his fellow defenders to allow only 3 goals this season.

Lexington – #2 Seed (20-1)

Road To The Finals

  • Quarterfinals – Defeated South Sioux City 2-0
  • Semifinals – Defeated Mount Michael Benedictine 1-0

Key Players

  • #9 Yoskar Galvan – Senior midfielder that committed to Iowa Western earlier this season. Galvan is a special kind of talent that can do it all with this pace and on-ball skill. Yoskar has 17 goals and 21 assists this season. He will have to be a major factor in this match in order to defeat Skutt.
  • #10 Junior Casillias – Senior midfielder that is also an Iowa Western soccer commit. Casillias has been on our radar all season long. This is a player capable of changing the game at a moment’s notice. Junior is best when on the ball with an attacking mentality.

NEST Analysis: This game will feature two of the best possession teams that the state has to offer. Expect Skutt to come out fast in an attempt to speed up the pace of play. That has been their style all season long, it won’t change now. The Skyhawks are adept at pressing their opponents into a panic and making the most of the counterattacks. This team loves the over-the-top switch to their talented wingers. Lexington’s attack will determine the outcome of this game, they must find a way to score multiple goals against a team that has only allowed three all season. The Minutemen are capable of doing this with their confidence and flair. Lexington has and will continue to place an emphasis on its midfield play. Casillias and Galvan are given a lot of positional freedom within this scheme. The Lexington defense will presumably play with a deep-dropping sweeper type of center-back. That wrinkle that mystified opponents all season long.

Prediction: Lexington has a ton of talent and it’s great to see a Central Nebraska team on this stage. However, Omaha Skutt has been absolutely dominant all season. This one ends with a Skyhawk title. 3-1 Omaha Skutt

 

Class B Girls – Omaha Skutt vs. Norris – Wednesday, May 19th @ 5:00 PM

Omaha Skutt – #1 Seed (19-1)

Road To The Finals

  • Quarterfinals – Defeated Omaha Roncalli Catholic 7-1
  • Semifinals – Defeated Lincoln Lutheran/Raymond Central 7-1

Key Players

  • #6 Cady Bettsworth – Senior midfielder that is a do it all type of athlete. A determined presence in the midfield, Bettsworth will need to be a factor in this game. A stat line of 11 goals and 13 assists this season.
  • #15 Kaeylyn Reeves – The senior forward is a Wayne State soccer commit. Safe to say, the Wildcats are getting a difference maker in the attack. 12 goals and 6 assists on the season, she will be looking to add a few more in the championship match.
  • #19 Jenna Hotovy – Senior defender that is committed to play at South Dakota State. The Skyhawks have allowed 4 goals in all competitions, a lot of that credit has to go to Hotovy.
  • #20 Cece Behrens – Senior forward that has been the Class B girls player of the year. Although there will be a ton of talent in this championship, Behrens will be the best amongst them. The future Omaha Maverick has 39 goals and 11 assists.

Norris – #2 Seed (20-0) 

Road To The Finals

  • Quarterfinals – Defeated Lexington 2-0
  • Semifinals – Defeated Omaha Duchesne 4-2

Key Players

  • #1 Kennedy Sullivan – A lot of worthy names on this squad, but time to pay attention to this FRESHMAN midfielder. Norris is here to stay due to their young core of talent. Sullivan has 12 goals and 12 assists on the season. She has risen to the occasion versus top teams.
  • #3 Reese Borer – The sophomore midfielder has been an impact player all season long. She is a major part of the talented crop of players that have taken Norris to new heights. She will be a top player for years to come in the state of Nebraska. 17 goals with 5 assists this season.
  • #5 Molly Ramsey – The senior three-sport star is an exciting athlete and overall story. She is the leader of this team as she brings a winner’s mentality to the field. Ramsey is a speedy forward that understands how to find the back of the net. Her 2021 stat line reads 19 goals and 6 assists.
  • #10 Hanna Schroeder – Another senior attacker that has done her part in building this program. Schroeder has been impressive all year long with 14 goals and 8 assists.

NEST Analysis: The storyline for this match practically writes itself. A traditional powerhouse filled with division one talent seeks to add another trophy to the case. On the other side, the up-and-coming Norris Titans attempt to add an exclamation point to a dream season. This is a game that will potentially have a flurry of goals and fast-paced play. Cece Behrens and Molly Ramsey will star for their individual teams, which one will have the golden foot?

I expect Skutt to establish early momentum while Norris adjusts to this level of opposition. Norris will compete hard and it is essential for them to stay disciplined defensively.

Prediction: This one is going to be a great show to watch, and I am excited to see it all play out. The final scoreline will not represent the reality on the field. Omaha Skutt will be too consistent and take advantage of their chances late in the game. 4-2 Omaha Skutt.

 

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on TwitterInstagram, or listen to our podcast.

 

Get To Know Me (Player Spotlight) – Campbell Zimmers

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which is meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

  1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
  2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
  3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Campbell Zimmers

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Chris and Jenny Zimmers

High School Soccer Team: Millard North Girls Varsity Soccer team

Position: Center or outside forward

Club Team: Sporting Omaha FC ECNL Premier 02/03

Grade: Senior (12th grade)

What is your favorite subject in school? Why? 

Science is my favorite subject, I really enjoy all my science courses and I hope to major in biology next fall. I love learning about the way things work and how everything impacts our world. 

What are your future plans?

Next year, I am attending the University of South Dakota to continue my soccer and academic career. I plan to major in biology and eventually go into nursing. 

 

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why?

Julie Ertz on the US women’s national team is my favorite soccer player. Her work ethic is really admirable and she always plays 110%. She is such a strong player and leader, her team can always count on her. These are the qualities I strive for, especially this year as a senior I want to be able to be a trusted teammate and leader. 

Throughout your high school career, you have undoubtedly learned many lessons and matured as a player. Based on those lessons and experiences, give three pieces of advice to your freshman self.

Three pieces of advice I would give to my freshman self are: 

  1. Don’t stress about goals, you can play an amazing game and not score. 
  2. If you make a mistake, move on. You can’t go back and fix it so don’t beat yourself up about it, just go make up for it. 
  3. Play every game like it’s your last.

Who has helped you become the player that you are today? How did they help you? Is there anything you would like to tell them?

The person in my life that has helped me become the player I am today is my older sister Regan Zimmers. Having a sister who plays the same sport is something I am thankful for every day. She pushes me and motivates me to do my best and I have looked up to her ever since I was little. She is always down to go on runs with me or go to the fields to get touches. She pushes me to go even when I don’t feel like it. She has an amazing work ethic and constantly wants to be the best at everything she does. I was lucky enough to win a state championship with her and I am forever grateful that I got to experience that with her by my side. She is an amazing player and an even better person. I can always turn to her for advice about college soccer or just life in general. I can’t wait to play against her for the next 3 years and start our sibling rivalry. Without her, I would not be the player I am today.

Could you see yourself coaching soccer someday? Is that a path that you are interested in following? If so, why?

I could definitely see myself coaching someday. A couple of years ago my club offered a coaching class, so I currently have my grassroots license already. I want to hopefully coach my kids someday and continue to keep the sport in my life. However, I think coaching little league soccer is most likely as far as I would go with it. 

 

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on TwitterInstagram, or listen to our podcast.

 

Get To Know Me (Future of the Game) – Emma Cook

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which is meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

  1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
  2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
  3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Emma Cook

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Holly Cook and Ken Cook

High School Soccer Team: Millard North Girls Varsity Soccer

Position: Outside back defense 

Grade: Freshman

What is your favorite subject in school? Why?

Currently, my favorite subject in school is math because I enjoy all the steps and I like the challenge. I feel that I understand and apply math in my daily life. 

What are your goals as an individual player? What are you doing to achieve those goals?

My goals as a player are to go to college and play and continue my career. I also have a goal of learning more about the game and teaching it to younger players and help them get to where they want to be. 

What goals do you have for your high school team during the 2021 season and beyond?

This year, one goal is definitely keeping each other safe and making sure that we can continue to have a season. But another big goal is playing as a team and hopefully making it to the state tournament. I hope to accomplish making it to state and having a great season.

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why? 

My favorite soccer player is Mallory Pugh because as a younger player on the US women’s national team I feel she steps up and is a good leader and is great to watch and is a good role model to follow after.

 

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on TwitterInstagram, or listen to our podcast.

 

Get To Know Me (Future of the Game) – Giuliana Gagliolo

At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication.  There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.

This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which is meant to bring attention to the soccer community.

  1. Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
  2. Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
  3. Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.

Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.

Giuliana Gagliolo

Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Maurizio Gagliolo and Ronda Gagliolo

High School Soccer Team: Millard West Girls Varsity Soccer

Position: I am primarily a forward, but I am also an attacking central midfielder and an outside midfielder.

Club Team: Sporting Omaha FC 2006 Premier

Grade: Freshman

What is your favorite subject in school? Why?

My favorite subject in school is Honors Geometry. I enjoy this class because I like my teacher, I
like my classmates, and it is challenging.

What are your goals as an individual player? What are you doing to achieve those goals? 

My goal this season is to improve my overall performance with each game. I have set goals for the amount of goals I want to score throughout the season, but also the number of assists I can provide to my teammates. By my individual growth, I will help my team to be successful. On my own time, I work on juggling, dribbling, finishing, and set pieces. This extra practice gives me the necessary steps to be the best player I can be.

What goals do you have for your high school team during the 2021 season and beyond?

As a team, we have set many goals for the 2021 season. One of our goals is to improve at each
and every practice. Additionally, we want to qualify for districts and win our district this season.
Our ultimate goal is to win the State Tournament. As a group, we want each player to grow and
maximize their potential, which will give us the opportunity to be one of the most competitive
teams in the state. Though we are a younger team, we display good leadership at all grade
levels. Our upperclassmen are giving us great guidance. The coaching staff has prepared us
well for the season, and we are off to a strong start.

Who’s your favorite soccer player and why?

My favorite soccer player is Nicolò Barella. He is a midfielder for Inter Milan in Serie A. He also
plays for the Italian National Team. Barella is currently the top-ranked Italian soccer player in
Italy. Barella is my favorite soccer player because we have a similar style of play. I have learned
so much while watching him play for my favorite team, Inter Milan. He displays the
characteristics of a well-rounded player.

 

Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment, or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.

Contact us on our website or email @ nebraskasoccertalk@gmail.com.

Connect with us on TwitterInstagram, or listen to our podcast.