Womens Professional Soccer

Germany WCup is 'home' game for USA's Krieger

HEIDELBERG, Germany (AP) — Ali Krieger didn't know anyone in Germany, didn't speak a word of the language.

But Germany had a professional women's soccer league and the U.S. didn't four years ago, and that was all the convincing Krieger needed to pack her bags and move halfway across the world. Now, thanks to that bold gamble, Krieger is back in Germany, starting as a defender for the United States in the Women's World Cup.

"It's like coming back to my home," the defender said Thursday. "I feel so comfortable. I feel happy and excited. I'm so happy I get to show the girls where I've lived the past three-and-a-half, four years, and show them around a bit and show them why I love the country so much."

The U.S. team plays its second game of the World Cup against Columbia on Saturday in Sinshein, Germany.

Though Krieger was a two-time All-American at Penn State, she had the misfortune of finishing her college career in 2007, two years before the Women's Professional Soccer began play. She didn't want to sit idle after just catching the eye of the U.S. coaching staff.

So when her coach suggested she go to Germany, Krieger figured she had nothing to lose. She wanted to be a regular with the national team, and that wasn't going to happen if she was only playing pick-up games.

"I wanted to be at this level and I wasn't here yet," said Krieger, who grew up in Dumfries, Va. "And why not? If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. I can always come home."

After a weeklong tryout, Krieger signed with FFC Frankfurt. The Bundesliga powerhouse had 11 members of Germany's World Cup champion team at the time, including captain Birgit Prinz, the tournament's all-time scoring leader; and Steffi Jones, now the president of organizing committee for this year's event.

"Oh, hi, can I play with you guys? That doesn't happen every day," Krieger said, laughing. "I knew all these players from on paper and on TV and I actually saw them in person, so I was really excited."

Though she started her first game with Frankfurt and helped the club to a rare "treble" — the Bundesliga title, German Cup and European women's championship — in her first season, the transition was not always smooth.

The style of soccer in Germany is much different from the U.S. Instead of dribbling the entire length of the field — or as far as they can — players in Germany touch the ball once, maybe twice, before passing to a teammate. When mistakes are made, there are no encouraging shouts of, "That's OK," or "Good effort." Instead, her teammates would let Krieger know in no uncertain terms what she had done wrong.

Fuller Playing Professional Soccer - RaginCajuns.com—Official Web ...

Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns soccer program is currently being represented in the professional ranks of women's soccer.

Heather Fuller , who suited up for the Ragin' Cajuns in 2007 and 2008, is a member of the Boston Aztecs Breakers Reserves of the Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL), a national amateur league at the second tier of the American Soccer Pyramid.

The squad serves as a reserve team for the Boston Breakers of the Women's Professional Soccer League  (WPS).

"Heather was a very good addition to our program coming from Lon Morris Junior College, she brought in experience and superb athleticism that we needed on offense," said UL head coach Scot Wieland. "She was a very competitive player every time she stepped on the field and I knew that she had the potential because of her speed and athleticism.

"I am happy that she decided to find out what level she could take her game to and  equally excited that she is taking advantage of this great opportunity to play at the next level."

In addition to playing a season schedule, Boston Aztec players also train with the Boston Breakers staff.

The Aztecs players have the opportunity to advance to the Breakers squad which would mean reaching the highest level of women's professional soccer in the United States.  In fact, two players were signed to the Breakers roster in 2009.

"I always knew that playing professional soccer was my dream and I would do it if it fell in my lap," Fuller mentioned. "But I never had that 'I'm going after it' mentality. Now that I am at the level, I have that mentality.

"Everything I do now I take very seriously and push myself to be better everyday."

The Boston Aztec roster is composed entirely of post-college players, like Fuller. The team's season schedule concludes July 12 and the league championship tournament is held the last weekend of July or first weekend of August.

"Heather (Fuller) is a great person and a good player that goes about her business the right way," said Boston Aztecs head coach Ebbie Kodiat. "She starts for us and does her job really well.

"She is a hard worker who understands what is being asked of her and gets it done. It's an absolute pleasure to have her on the team."

RaginCajuns.com recently conducted an interview with Fuller and asked her to reflect on her collegiate experience and current profressional experience. The entire Q&A session is listed below.

Women's Professional Soccer, 2009 Women's Professional Soccer Season, 2010 Women's Professional Soccer Season, Atlanta Beat

Women's Professional Soccer, Women's Professional Soccer Awards, Women's Professional Soccer Drafts, Women's Professional Soccer Players

Women's Professional Soccer Seasons, 2009 Women's Professional Soccer Season, 2010 Women's Professional Soccer Season

2009 Women's Professional Soccer Season, 2009 Saint Louis Athletica Season, 2009 Women's Professional Soccer Season, 2009 Wps Draft

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