Plenty of athletes play for their high school programs and dream of making it to the next level. Putting in hard work on and off the field, Southlake Carroll junior keeper, Liv Geller, is able to get closer to that dream being a reality as she verbally committed to TCU earlier this month. VYPE DFW caught up with Geller regarding her decision and her time with Southlake Carroll's soccer program so far:
Making her dreams a reality, Geller took to social media to announce her commitment to the Horned Frogs' program last week:
Found home!! I am incredibly thrilled to announce my verbal commitment to continue my academic and athletic career playing soccer at TCU! Wearing this jersey and being able to work alongside such amazing people is a dream come true. Thank you Coaches Bell, Ryan, Madison & Tom for… pic.twitter.com/zAEcim4fcS
— Liv Geller (@Liv1Keeper) August 25, 2023
The keeper is headed into her junior season where she can be expected to continue working hard in school, practice, and games to ensure her ability day in and day out. VYPE DFW caught up with Geller in an exclusive interview about her high school career so far.
It's not easy making a decision to commit. What went into your decision-making process?
"It wasn't an easy decision at all. Ultimately, it came down to one important thing: people-- the coaches and the team. I started doing a lot of research about six months before June 15th with the obvious hope that I would get phone calls. My parents' advice to me was to simply be open to the process. I spoke with every school that contacted me and through learning about all of the different programs, I really began to learn more about myself and exactly what I was looking for. My longer-term goal is definitely to play pro and so a program that can help me achieve that was important, but what I didn't count on was how important it would be to continue being around family and friends. Thankfully, I feel blessed that TCU gives me all of those things."
What has been your favorite memory at Southlake Carroll so far?
"Wow, that's tough, but the easy answer is probably winning the state championship my freshman year."
What professional athlete do you look up to? Why?
"There are a few, but I probably need to place Jane Campbell, the goalkeeper for the Houston Dash, at the top of the list. She was an idol of mine as a kid. I grew up in Houston before moving to Southlake and I played for the Dash Youth Academy; I had the opportunity to train with her a number of times. Her work ethic and her attitude made a huge impression on me. In fact, I still follow her workouts on Instagram for inspiration."
What would you say has been your biggest accomplishment during your high school career?
"It's probably the same as my greatest memory-- which was winning the state championship. That said, the accomplishment was not necessarily my own success, but seeing the impact our winning had on the team as a whole and really our whole community. It meant so much to see so many people be excited about what we accomplished as a group."
Do you have a game day routine that you stick to?
"You can say that. I try to start the day by going for a walk to get moving and then follow it with some stretching and mobility work. I make a point to eat the same basic chicken and rice before the game no matter what time of day it is. Then I'll visualize the game to get in a good headspace; I always listen to good music on the way to the field."
What do you do in the offseason to prepare for the upcoming year?
"I like to do a lot of strength training and speed work. Conveniently, my dad is an Olympic weightlifting coach for USA Weightlifting. He's gotten me into it over the years and I'm now completing my level one certification to be a coach as well."
What is your mindset as you prepare to head into a new season?
"Excited and determined. This will be my last year; I am graduating a year early from high school and then plan to follow some other training opportunities in the gap between graduation and starting college in January of 2025."
What are your goals this season?
"Clearly I want to help our team win, but I think my bigger goal would be to help the younger girls on the team the way the juniors and seniors helped me when I was a freshman. Culture and leadership are really important in our team and I'd like to contribute to that as much as possible."
In your opinion, what has been the secret to your teams' success? What about your success?
"My team's success has come mainly through our coaches and the culture of leadership expected from our seniors and captains. I've been lucky to be a part of some teams that have a tremendous amount of talent, but that doesn't mean much unless each player can find a way to work as a whole. My success is honestly just hard work. I may not be the tallest or fastest, but I will outwork you."
Be sure you catch Geller in action with Southlake Carroll this winter when the Dragons open up their season!
