St. Louisan Becky Sauerbrunn Headed to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup

Although the city of St. Louis, MO currently hosts no men’s or women’s professional soccer teams, the city has historically been a hotbed for producing talented players. From the five St. Louisans who started on the U.S. Men’s National Team that shocked the planet by upsetting  England 1-0 in the 1950 World Cup, to the great college players who went on to star in the old NASL and in the indoor game in the 70s and 80s, the St. Louis area has developed many international players.

Although such MLS mainstays as Taylor Twellman, Steve Ralston and Chris Klein have recently retired, the tradition continues with young USMNT defender Tim Ream of the Red Bulls and exciting rookie Will Bruin of the Houston Dynamo headlining a group of St. Louis area players in MLS, the NASL, USL PRO and the WPS. Now, add to that list defender Becky Sauerbrunn. Following in the footsteps of USWNT standout and St. Louisan Lori Chalupny, who’s earned over 90 international caps, Sauerbrunn, a graduate of Ladue High School and the University of Virginia has been chosen for the U.S. Women’s National Team Cup roster for this summer’s World Cup.

Sauerbrunn, 25, has only eight international caps, a modest amount compared to teammates such as Christie Rampone (234 caps),  and Abby Wambach, Shannon Boxx, Heather O’Reilly, Lindsay Tarpley, Heather Mitts, Carli Lloyd, all of whom are well over the 100 cap mark.  So how did this young woman, who has played professionally for the Washington Freedom, Røa in Norway and currently with the WPS’ magicJack club in Boca Raton, Florida, make her way onto a World Cup roster of such talented veterans?

Becky Sauerbrunn

Sauerbrunn, 25, began her professional career in the WPS with the Washington Freedom after a standout career at UVA that included earning NSCAA All-American honors three times and being recognized in her senior year as NSCAA Scholar Athlete of the Year.  Sauerbrunn, who joined the Freedom’s developmental team in 2008 before the official launch of WPS in 2009, continued her success as the only WPS player in the first two season’s of the league’s existence to play every minute of her club’s matches. Saurbrunn only missed 9 minutes of the 91 games she played for at UVA …and that only because of being substituted for a younger Cavalier in a game already decided.

Steven Goff in a Washington Post article last September asked Sauerbrunn about her stamina.  “I don’t think about it, but the girls call me ‘Iron Woman’ every day and tease me,” she said. “It’s a combination of luck and preparation.”  Sauerbrunn’s teammate in Washington, co-captain Cat Whitehill added that “there is a reason that she never comes out of a game: She is extremely consistent and versatile.”  Versatile?  As Goff points out, the young woman listed as a defender on the USWNT roster featured at defensive midfield, central defense, left back and right back before becoming a fixture on that left corner for the 2010 Freedom.

She was also versatile enough to score the first-ever goal in the Freedom’s WPS history, in 2009.  In a Goal.com profile by Sean Grybos, Sauerbrunn commented, “I think everyone, including myself, was pretty surprised the first Freedom goal came from me,” Sauerbrunn said.  “So when I think about that goal all I can really do is laugh at the incredibility of it.  I have to give Sonia [Bompastor] most of the credit because she sent in a perfect ball, I was just in the right place at the right time.”  When asked by Grybos to describe herself with one adjective, Sauerbrunn replied “diligent.”

Sauerbrunn’s versatility, her diligence and toughness in playing through the inevitable week in/week out knocks, and and her selflessness certainly contributed to her call up. But head coach Pia Sundhage said recently that her perseverance was also a factor.

Quoted in Tom Timmermann’s STL Today article from Tuesday, Sundhage had this to say about the young St. Louisan.  “When I saw her the first time in 2008,” Sundhage said, “there were certain things she had to work on. She comes back three years later and she’s done very well. She is right now relaxed and is grabbing the chance and she’s humble, that’s a huge thing. That’s why she will make this team better.”  Sundhage added, “She’s (Sauerbrunn) a very good example of how it takes not only a second chance, but a third chance.”

Timmermann asked Sauerbrunn her reaction to being named to the team, something that was not a done deal.  “I really had no real idea if I’d make the team,” Sauerbrunn said from Columbus, Ohio, where the national team is preparing for a friendly match Saturday against Japan. “I thought it could go either way. I had just joined the team about half a year ago. Some have been on for three-plus years. I was fighting an uphill battle to make a roster spot. … It hasn’t really sunk in. I don’t think it will sink in until later. I never thought this kind of luck would happen to me.”

Although Becky Sauerbrunn is too modest to say so, she’s a top-flight athlete continuing the proud St. Louis tradition of soccer excellence.  I’ll be rooting for all the talented ladies of the USWNT when they kickoff their World Cup opening match on June 28 against North Korea, but will be cheering especially hard for one St. Louisan who has the right stuff.  While Sauerbrunn isn’t assured a place in the starting XI in this summer’s World Cup, I wouldn’t bet against seeing her out on the pitch representing her country.  Lucky lady.

The energetic Ms. Sauerbrunn has also blogged about her soccer travels; check it out .WPS Player blogs.

U.S. Women’s National Team Roster by Position - Detailed Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Nicole Barnhart (Philadelphia Independence)**, Jill Loyden (magicJack)*, Hope Solo (magicJack)**
DEFENDERS (7): Rachel Buehler (Boston Breakers)*, Stephanie Cox (Boston Breakers)**, Ali Krieger (out of contract)*, Amy LePeilbet (Boston Breakers)*, Heather Mitts (Atlanta Beat)*, Christie Rampone (magicJack)****, Becky Sauerbrunn (magicJack)*
MIDFIELDERS (7): Shannon Boxx (magicJack)***, Tobin Heath (Sky Blue FC)*, Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence)*, Carli Lloyd (Atlanta Beat)**, Heather O’Reilly (Sky Blue FC)**, Megan Rapinoe (Philadelphia Independence)*, Lindsay Tarpley (magicJack)**
FORWARDS (4): Lauren Cheney (Boston Breakers)*, Alex Morgan (Western New York Flash)*, Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence)*, Abby Wambach (magicJack)***

* First Women’s World Cup
** Second Women’s World Cup
*** Third Women’s World Cup
**** Fourth Women’s World Cup