USL Feature
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
TAMPA, Fla. – Playing overseas is what many young American soccer players dream about. The crowds, fame and glory associated with European football is the goal.
For female soccer players, European soccer conjures different thoughts. Playing in women’s Europe is more akin to a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. That is what Blakely Mattern is undergoing right now.
The Charlotte Lady Eagles standout played every minute of every match this season, helping anchor one of the W-League’s best defenses. Mattern’s superb play helped lead the Lady Eagles to another playoff birth, where they fell just short of the W-League Championship.
Once the regular season ended Mattern was unsure what the offseason might bring, but after exchanging a few emails with a friend about playing in Europe, FC Twente came knocking. The coach emailed Mattern to see if she wanted to play a bit more this year. FC Twente, of the Netherlands Women’s Eredivisie, was in need of a central defender for the upcoming season and the coach emailed Mattern to see if she was interested.
“I thought about it for a day or two, being caught off guard honestly by the email,” Mattern said. “But ultimately I knew that this was an opportunity and experience that I could not pass up.”
The chance to experience the game in another country was too much. FC Twente was fresh off capturing the 2011 Women’s Eredivisie title and had qualified for the 2011-12 UEFA Women’s Champions League.
Before Mattern arrived in Holland, she was not sure what to expect. She exchanged a few emails with another American on the team about the level of play, but only playing there could answer that.
“I got here and was immediately impressed,” Mattern said. “The level was far greater than expected for sure. The style of play is much different than America. It is a very technical game, with the ball rarely in the air and the training sessions are centered around technical ability, which the girls have been drilled with from an early age.
“In terms of ball quickness and skill, they are very sound. Passing is very firm and the movement and speed of the game is quicker than college or W-League. Where they do not have as much knowledge or focus I guess is the tactical side, in terms of stepping, sliding, shifting of a backline or midfield.”
On the field, Mattern began to settle into rhythm quickly. As one of the premier defenders in the W-League, Mattern’s experience helped her fit in fine with her new side. While her ability has allowed her not to miss a step, some factors surrounding matches and training that have taken some adjustment.
Different foods, no warm-ups, cool downs, or stretching, and sometimes arriving at close to kickoff have taken some time to get used to.
“The single toughest thing that I will have to deal with while I am here when it comes is the weather! It is October and it is already cold over here. The winter months are freezing and it rains and snows all the time. Coming from South Carolina and having lived there my whole life, I have never lived through such cold weather.”
Outside the game, the transition has been pleasantly smooth for Mattern.
“The Dutch people are all so nice and very helpful too. Most of them speak or at least understand English and are very approachable. The culture too is very laid back, minimalistic and simplistic. So it has not been tough off the field to adjust culturally.”
Mattern’s relaxed mood off the field has helped temper the side’s high expectations for the 2011-12 season. After winning the title last season and qualifying for the Champions League, this season’s goals remain similar.
“Our main goal, of course, is to win the Eredivisie, which is our league,” she said. “We also want to win the cup for the Netherlands, which is a national competition between all the women's teams of the country at any level. Those games will begin later in the season and are separate from our league competitions. Our other goal was to advance in the Champions League.”
FC Twente’s domestic success is still on track, but their Champions League hopes hit a bump. FC Twente fell to an impressive Russian side, Rossiyanka in the round of 32. Rossiyanka, which featured many top internationals, bested Twente during two legs, but Mattern knows her side will be back.
“Our team enjoyed playing in the league and wants for sure to get back and get another opportunity to win and advance in the Champions League. This means that we need and want to win the Eredivisie this season to put ourselves in position to do that.”