Erin Scott joins us for our third collegiate goalkeeper contributing a player journal for their season. Scott enters her sophomore year after Creighton went 10-10 last year, which she started every game as a freshman. After a successful season with FC Dallas' WPSL team, Scott revisits her summer and discusses Creighton's upcoming season. Click here to read the other goalkeepers' player journals as they all start their season.
Not too long ago you finished your summer season with FC Dallas' WPSL team, where y'all won the Southwest conference and allowed less than a goal a game. Most college players don't play in the summer so what made you decide to play with FC Dallas? What did you gain from playing for FC Dallas?
Playing in the WPSL with FC Dallas over the summer was easily one of the best things I have done to prepare for an upcoming D1 college season. This year was FC Dallas’ first year competing in the WPSL and Ben Waldrum put together a very strong roster in a fairly short amount of time. I have been involved in the ECNL program at FC Dallas throughout high school so this was a great opportunity for me. Playing this past summer not only helped keep my touch on the ball sharp but also helped me stay mentally engaged in games all summer as well. Playing in games and keeping that mental sharpness that a game demands at a high level is such an important factor that generally goes missing for some in the summer. Yes, keeper training and training with a team is great but nothing can truly replace the experience you get from playing in a game.
The group of girls that played with FC Dallas this summer were truly world class. Adapting to a new team and adjusting to a different style of play than I am used to allowed me to not only develop as a player but become more well rounded. I noticed that I was holding myself accountable more often because there was a very high standard in training sessions and games. FC Dallas’ women’s side is going in a positive direction and talks of a NWSL team is a strong possibility for the future which is very exciting. There was so much talent on our team this summer and going undefeated was an exhilarating feeling. We finished our season 15-1, suffering our one and only loss to the Chicago Red Star’s Reserves in the Regional Championship game.
The WPSL is a massive league with over 100 teams. Some of the teams are tied to professional teams and others fold after just being around a year. Describe your experience with the league. What's something outsiders don't realize or understand about the league?
I think the WPSL is a great league that will continue to move in the right direction. Although certain teams may have more talent than others, I feel there is a high level of competition throughout. I feel that many don’t realize how high the level of competition truly is. We had a very talented roster which included players like Monica Alvarado who is on Mexico’s national team and has played in a world cup. We also had many Houston Dash reserves playing with us throughout the season, many of which were called up to play on the full team in games for the Dash. Between the international talent and the professional talent, the quality of play was phenomenal. Kelsey Devonshire, who has also played professional soccer, was the other goalkeeper on our roster and being able to work with her this summer was extremely beneficial for me. Playing alongside a professional forced me to push myself to a higher standard that was expected. Overall I think the WPSL presents a great opportunity for anyone looking to continue to play over the summer.
Last year Creighton finished 2-7 in the Big East. What needs to happen this year to make sure Creighton reaches the Big East conference tournament?
This year we received a large freshman class with very talented players who will be able to come in and make a difference in our season. The mentality of our team is great and the competitive environment makes training very enjoyable. Although we are only one week into preseason, I can tell we are headed in the right direction. Commitment, dedication, and accountability are going to be huge parts of this season. It is crucial that we all hold ourselves and our teammates accountable. This season we need to make sure that we clean up silly mistakes. We have been working on our defensive shape as well as being more aggressive all over the field. We conceded many goals off of preventable errors that we need to work hard to fix this season. We also need to make sure that we capitalize on our opportunities this year. I believe everyone is committed to our goal and we are all working extremely hard each day to get better. I truly believe that we are going to be a very dangerous competitor in the Big East this season.