"I'm 5-foot-11 and always the most physical person on the field," she said. "When I'm playing defense, no one is getting past me. 50-50 balls? I'm going to win those, every time. I want to use speed, skill, and athleticism to lead the defense to shutouts and also contribute on offense, of course, by scoring on corners, which I absolutely love. But equally as important is distributing the ball from the back, whichis my focus on any team I play on."
Torn stars on Albion's ECNL '05 team that plays nationwide and is basically a portal for future DI soccer players.
"I grew up in a competitive family that enjoys sports, all sports" she said. "My dad loved football and my mom was an All-Conference heptathlete at Texas A&M. I am right in the middle of five kids, with two older sisters and two younger brothers, there is always something fun going at our house. I actually started playing soccer on my older sisters' team when I was like three-years old. I always played up."
Torn played basketball, volleyball and ran track until high school, but she is clear, soccer is her passion and her future as she will be a high-major DI prospect.
"I definitely want to play in college," she said. "Several major schools started watching my ECNL team in showcases in 6th and 7th grade. It was fun to look over and see the college coaches decked out in their school gear watching our games, but the recruiting rules are different now. With the NCAA rule changes, I can't get offered until my junior year. The quiet period is supposed to be over June 1st. I look forward to having the college coaches back out at our games this summer at Nationals in Florida. My goal is to play in a Power 5 conference. I just want to find the coach and program and team that would be the best fit."
So, who inspires her?
"I remember watching players like Barbara Olivieri (Tompkins) at my club when I was like eight-years old," she said. "Just seeing girls who played at my club for Ben and Rafa, my coaches, go on to play on National teams, in the NCAA playoffs, and seeing them on ESPN highlights… that really motivates me."
While she continues to work on her game on the pitch and in the weight room, she also has some time for fun. Her family owns Camp Ozark in Arkansas and is launching Camp OTX in the Hill County this summer. "I love to be outside all the time," she said. "I'll be at camp this summer when I'm not training in Houston."
So, what is she working on?
"I want to continue to develop my game out of the back, always improving my ability to dribble in traffic and pass balls with precision to our midfielders and forwards" she said. "I'm continually working on transitions up the field – understanding how and where each of my teammates likes to receive the ball."
Well, we aren't betting against her.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
