FILE PHOTO/Daily

Shelina Zadorsky ended her career with 81 games played, three goals, 15 assists and 21 points. 

“It’s been awesome,” Zadorsky 

said. “It’s kinda been a bit of a 
whirlwind going from tournament 
to tournament and just learning 
from the best players and really 
improving my game.”

In July 2015, Zadorsky also 

participated in the Pan American 
Games in Toronto, which she 
described 
as 
a 
“smaller-scale 

Olympics.”

Though 

Zadorsky 
had 

spent the past 
two 
years 

traveling 
the 

world in pursuit 
of an Olympic 
dream, 
she 

somehow found 
herself rooming 
with 
Ezurike, 

who 
was 
also 

representing Canada in the games.

“It was like college all over again, 

which was really great,” Zadorsky 
said. “It’s such a small soccer world, 
but it’s great to see her doing well 
too.”

Unfortunately for the reunited 

duo, Canada fell in the bronze 
medal match to Mexico, which had 
rostered 
then-senior 
midfielder 

Christina Murillo — Michigan’s 
2015 captain and former teammate 
of Ezurike and Zadorsky. 
 

“It was like college all over again, 

which was really great,” Zadorsky 
said. “It’s such a small soccer world, 
but it’s great to 
see 
her 
doing 

well too.”

Unfortunately 

for the reunited 
duo, Canada fell 
in 
the 
bronze 

medal match to 
Mexico, 
which 

had 
rostered 

then-senior 
midfielder 
Christina 
Murillo — Michigan’s 2015 captain 
and former teammate of Ezurike 
and Zadorsky. 

Though Michigan’s 2013 senior 

class are no longer together, they 
have still kept in touch in part 
because they all run the same 
soccer-centric 
lifestyle. 
Former 

midfielder Tori McCombs is also 
getting married this October, and 
the senior class, including Zadorsky, 
will be bridesmaids.

Zadorsky hasn’t forgotten to stay 

in touch with the coaching staff, 
and said she occasionally emails 
Ryan and associate head coach Dean 
Duerst. After the 2013 season, Ryan 
had emphasized that he would focus 
on helping his seniors transition 
to the professional soccer world in 

order for them to fulfill their goals.

According to Zadorsky, it was 

less about Ryan’s connections in 
the soccer world and more about 
physical preparation. 

“Ultimately, I think it was more 

of his training and his coaching that 
helped me get to the level I needed to 
get to and then I was able to branch 
out and find my own connections,” 

Zadorsky 
said. 

“At 
the 
same 

time, 
he 
was 

always 
such 
a 

great 
reference 

to have, he would 
always 
speak 

highly of us and 
he was always 
supporting us in 
that way.”

Part 
of 

Zadorsky 

finding her own connections has 
involved hiring a business manager 
and creating her own website, 
which includes a biography, media 
gallery, her agent’s contact info and 
information on her involvement 
with the Canadian National Team 
and the National Women’s Soccer 
League.

Most recently, Zadorsky began 

her first season with the NWSL’s 
Washington Spirit based out of 
Boyds, Md. Luckily for Zadorsky, she 
was part of a historic fourth season 
for the NWSL, which is now the 
longest-running American women’s 

soccer league.

“The 
other 

leagues 
before 

this have folded, 
but this one is 
growing 
and 

is going to stay 
around for quite 
some 
time,” 

Zadorsky 
said. 

“It’s really cool 
to be a part of the 
fourth season.”

Having to adapt to a faster-

paced NWSL, Zadorsky said her 
technical ability has grown “leaps 
and bounds.” At this level, it has to: 
everyone is stronger and everyone 
is faster, so her touches need to be 
better and her decision-making 
needs to be quicker.

“(In college), everyone’s still 

developing and has a lot of room for 
growth through college,” Zadorsky 
said. “At this level, people have so 
much experience and you just bring 
another level of professionalism to 
it. That comes with all the things on 
and off the pitch that’s a bit different 
because it is your job — you’re not 
juggling school and soccer, now 
you’re a true professional.”

Not only has the speed of the game 

changed, but Zadorsky has noticed a 
changing fan base. At Michigan, she 
said everyone could unite around 
the block M and say “Go Blue.”

Throughout the past few years, 

though, she has been able to reach 
an even wider audience with fan 
bases in Australia, Sweden and, most 
recently, Maryland. The bigger fan 
base has also brought an opportunity 
to mold young and upcoming soccer 
players 
around 

the world.

How Zadorsky 

and 
her 
team 

interact with the 
fan 
community 

on and off the 
field doesn’t go 
unnoticed 
as 

fans wear their 
jerseys, 
share 

photos 
through 

Twitter and make signs for Zadorsky 
at games.

“It’s really, really inspiring to see 

young girls looking up to you and 
wanting to work to be a professional,” 
Zadorsky said. “Hopefully I can 
inspire them in a positive way.”

Zadorsky’s next chance to inspire 

her fans will come on August 5, when 
the Rio 2016 Women’s Olympic 
Football Tournament begins in Sao 

Paolo, Brazil. The reigning bronze 
medalist 
Canadians 
will 
face 

Australia, Zimbabwe and Germany 
in Group F.

This year has already been a 

successful one for the national team, 
which qualified for the Olympic 
Games in February and later won 
the Algarve Women’s Cup in Lagos, 
Portugal, after defeating Brazil, 2-1, 
in the championship match.

The 
team 

has 
already 

developed 
chemistry 
as 

well, with Diana 
Matheson 
and 

Stephanie Labbé 
currently playing 
with 
Zadorsky 

on 
the 
Spirit. 

The 
national 

team will train 

together all of July, missing just a 
few NWSL games before the league 
goes on break in August.

When Zadorsky returns to the 

United States at the end of August, 
she will have fulfilled her dream of 
representing home country in the 
Olympics.

The only thing left to do? Return 

with a medal hanging around her 
neck.

“(Ryan’s) coaching 
helped me get to 
the level I needed 

to get to.”

“It’s been a 

whirlwhind going 
from tournament 
to tournament.”

“It’s inspiring to 
see young girls 
looking up to 

you.”

11

Thursday, July 7, 2016

The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com SPORTS

