Sophie Schmidt

University of Portland midfielder Sophie Schmidt red-shirted last season to devote her attention to preparing with her national side for the World Cup. Despite the heartbreak her team suffered with their last minute ejection from the competition , Schmidt caught the eye with some hard working displays.


Being included in the World Cup roster must have been amazing but did you ever envision playing every minute of the team's campaign ?

Playing every minute never crossed my mind. When I made the roster I seemed overjoyed just to be able to go. As the tournament neared I was working for the possibility of seeing some injuries in at least one game.

Did you play no.19 because that is your age ? Will you be no.20 come June this year ?

I did not even realize that the number on my jersey reflected mt age , so there was no intention there. It was given to me. Number 20 is a goalie number for our team , so I wouldn't want to step on any toes for the sake of a number.

Is a goal in a World Cup more special than any others and did you know what to do to celebrate when you scored your headed goal against Ghana ?

A goal is a goal , but scoring one in the World Cup certainly felt more special. There is some prestige to it. As for a celebration , there was no pre-planning involved. My emotions got the best of me and took over. The smile on my face said it all , plus my teammates engulfed me way too quickly for anything to be done.

It must have been agonizing to leave the competition , having been just seconds away from going through ?

It was truly heart breaking. As a team you go into a tournament like this with high expectations and to fall short is never easy. In the World Cup more teams lose than win. Only one true winner emerges. The disappointment seems burdening at first , but as a team you take it in stride. You learn from the experience and use what you have learned to better yourself for the next opportunity.

You put in some impressive , combative and high energy performances for your team - while still being a relative rookie - what have you taken personally out of the experience ?

During the tournament you are taken on quite a ride , where your emotions hit highs and lows. Being a young player , I am blessed to have experienced what I have at such a young age. I'm going to take what I've learned from this experience and build on it. The biggest thing is to continue to enjoy playing soccer and strive to become better , as the face of the women's game is changing. Teams and individuals are becoming stronger , faster and more technical. It is great to see.

What was your favourite thing/or best memory from the trip ? And least ?

Best: My best memories definitely occurred on the field , playing in those three matches. Being alongside phenomenal teammates and soccer players , and playing against quality teams and players. Other enjoyable moments were had off the field while just spending time with my teammates. Enjoying the different personalities that make up the Canadian squad.

Least That would have to be tying Australia in the third game with less than a minute left in the game. Our World Cup hopes came to a sudden stop. The tournament was from that point over for us and we would be on our way home to watch the games from the comfort of our own home.

What has it been like returning to pull on the purple shirt and trying to fut straight into a new team a) in terms of personalities ? b) training/studying ? c) standard of Div 1 play compared to international elite level ?

a) The team here at the University Of Portland is filled with amazing personalities. Coming back was not difficult because of that. It takes time to get to know one another , but the team is so inclusive it feels as though I was never gone.

b) After the World Cup I needed a break from soccer to allow my body to recover and also get caught up with the studies. The school and my teachers have been fantastic; they are understanding of the situation and have been more than willing to help me catch up , which is important.

c) The level of play is different. At the international level the game is so fast , it is extremely aggressive and teams are filled with high caliber players. Division 1 is not quite at the same intensity. At the collegiate level you are a soccer player and a student , while in the international game that is your livelihood.

Tell us something our readers might not know about Sophie Schmidt ?

My family moved back to Paraguay , where my parents grew up , when I was a baby. German became my primary language and I spent my early childhood years in Paraguay and South America , playing street soccer with my brother and his friends.

What does it mean by "red-shirted"?

I've no idea. Maybe they pulled her jersey or dropped her form the roster altogether.