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. ---------- After sitting out the 2017 season due to injury Hannah Evans had one of her best summers of soccer she's had in recent years. "This summer with the team has been an incredible experience," Evans said. "Between the coaching staff and my teammates, it has been the best summer of soccer I've had not only on the field, but off the field as well. Playing all summer has made me even more excited to come back this fall and play at SDSU." Playing with a bunch of talented players that come from all over the country with different ages can be challenging, but Evans credits SDSU for making it easy to adapt. "Being with a bunch of different players, coming from different backgrounds and countries there was a lot of different styles of play," Evans said. "I'm thankful that SDSU has made it easy to adapt to different styles of plays and that helped a lot in the summer season with learning to play with new teammates." Playing with a different coaching staff can be great as they tend to have different perspectives of the game and Evans said hers really helped her. "The coaching staff helped me a lot with positioning and understanding the overall game and tactics," Evans said. "Both the coaches and the players pushed each other to give their best on the field and they really helped to solve the problems of the game." Evans says that the biggest thing she learned over the summer was to give everything you have on the field, no matter of the circumstances. Another thing she said was very helpful was the different skill levels and age differences within the team. "I thought it was very beneficial to everybody," Evans said. "The games are fast paced and there is tough competition. Each game challenges you as you play different teams with players from around the country and different levels. Within the team, the older players set a good example of what it means to be successful, from working hard every play to different leadership styles, there's something that everybody could learn from." Evans got to do something only one other Jackrabbit in the WPSL got to do. Play with a teammate from SDSU. "Playing with Maggie, made the summer a lot more enjoyable," Evans said. "Living with her last year and then having the same host family made the summer experience even better. She is a great friend and teammate and I always enjoy having her in goal behind me. She's a goalkeeper that continuously pushes you to give your all, but keeps things fun too." All six Jacks in the WPSL thought that playing in the league the whole summer is going to be very useful come next season at SDSU. "Playing the tough competition in the WPSL will really help not only myself, but also Maggie and the other SDSU girls that played in the WPSL," Evans said. "Because I think it enables us to come game ready for the season. I think playing in the WPSL makes the transition from spring practice to fall season much easier, but it also gives us a new perspective that can help our team in the fall." After sitting out last fall with an injury Evans didn't want to work on just one area, she rather wanted to just work on being an overall better player. "Overall, I just wanted to better myself as a player, technically and tactically," Evans said. "After an injury that left me unable to play this past fall, I wanted to become comfortable with the game again. It was important to me to get as many minutes on the field and honing my skills as much as possible before reporting for season so that I can contribute to the team the best way I can." 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. 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) Part five: Allie Zueger (Friday, July 27)