As the 2018 soccer season approaches, GoJacks.com spoke with six Jackrabbits who spent their summers playing in the Women's Premier Soccer League around the region. This six-part series will run for two weeks leading up to the team's report date of August 1. ---------- Allie Zueger was as new to the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) as her team the Dakota Fusion was and thought that it made it that much better. "Playing for a team that was also new to the WPSL made the experience and growth of everyone more unified," Zueger said. "The team and the coaches were all more supportive and eager to help one another grow then I could have ever imagined." After her first season at SDSU and in the WPSL came to a wrap, Zueger thought the largest difference between the two seasons was the team chemistry. "Going into my first season last year with SDSU, I already had relationships formed and a good understanding of team dynamics," Zueger said. "With Fusion being in its first season, I was given the opportunity to form new relationships with the other ladies on the teams. We had much less time to build our team chemistry and get to know each other as people and players." She said that even though it was challenging to not have as much team chemistry as she did at State, it gave her a chance to work outside of her comfort zone. Another chance the WPSL gave her was playing with players from all over the country from different ages and different skills. "I found the chance to play with players at all different levels in their careers to be the most eye opening," Zueger said. "Something my coach at SDSU (Brock Thompson) always reminds me to 'trust the process' while keeping in mind the fact that everyone has their own timeline and this often can involve their successes. I saw so many different timelines because of the different ages and it reminded me that you put in what you want to get out in the end of your career." Zueger found out that just like players, coaches too have their own unique styles and ways of approaching team structure and it helped her learn some new things about herself. "I learned that I have the ability to step into a leadership role," Zueger said. "And also help bring a sense of hard but positive competition to build me and those around by keeping a good mentally and physical attitude to team situations and games." Zueger thought the WPSL was a great chance to get touches and continue to get better in the offseason. It was also a great opportunity to work on key areas. "There were two large areas of focus for my game that I worked on throughout the summer," Zueger said. "These being soccer vision and game fitness. Soccer vision is the ability to not only play on the field but to see the game as it progresses and have the ability to be proactive in the runs and passes I make along with the shifting I do on the field to positively impact my offensive or defensive shape." The other area Zueger was focusing on was doing more game fitness exercises. "Many people often just throw fitness and game fitness into the same category," Zueger said. "Game fitness is not just continual sprints for a specific pre-set time to beat. It is the ability to be able to change your speed on a dime. To be prepared to make a long run or to fight for a ball. Both of which I was able to do with the Dakota Fusion team this summer." With July coming to a close and Fall camp approaching at the start of August, Zueger is ready to get back and continue the success they've been having at SDSU. "Playing in the WPSL gave me the opportunity to continually getting touches on the ball throughout the summer. Not everyone that plays at the college level will choose to play in the league or with a club and I believe this is the reason we will have an edge on the competition we face this coming fall. We have the ability to have moment to relax and make those mistakes because we are growing into the roles our new teams ask of us. It also keeps us sharp and prepared for game fitness." The Jackrabbits return to campus for fall camp Aug. 1 and will open the season with an exhibition at Minnesota on Aug. 11. Single-match tickets and a limited number of season ticket packages are on sale now through the Jackrabbit Ticket Office. Tickets can be purchased in person, online at JackrabbitTickets.com or over the phone by calling (605) 688-5422. The final part of the series features Hannah Evans and will be available on Monday. Read past features below: Part one: Bianca Madonia (Wednesday, July 18) Part two: Maggie Smither (Friday, July 20) Part three: Eleanor Dick (Monday, July 23) Part four: Annie Williams (Wednesday, July 25)
-GoJacks.com-