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