Seminole Soccer Summer Diaries
Junior Amanda DaCosta on competing in the U-23 National Team training camp in Cleveland, Ohio.

June 15, 2009


TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - In the coming months, fans of Florida State soccer will get a glimpse of what their favorite players are doing during their summer vacation in the Seminole Soccer Summer Diary Series.

In this week's first edition of Seminole Soccer Summer Diaries, junior midfielder Amanda DaCosta gives Seminole fans an inside look at the U.S. U-23 Women's National Team camp in Cleveland, Ohio.

June 13, 2009: Cleveland, Ohio


Dear Seminole Fans:

So after waking up at 6:00 a.m. and driving through traffic, it took me 30 minutes to arrive at the airport to find that my flight to Cleveland had been cancelled due to "bad weather" or "slight drizzle" as I would like to call it. I got my flight rebooked for what I thought was 7:30 p.m. on Friday, but after driving back home through two hours of traffic, I realized that I had been put on a flight that was to leave Saturday night. Eventually, I made it to Cleveland after a delayed flight and a good fitness session through the airport that got me on my connecting flight just in time. It was a solid start to the week I'd like to say!

I finally made it here with the U-23 U.S. National Team. We are playing in the middle of nowhere across from a Home Depot at a nice facility called Brad Friedel's Future Stars. Brad Friedel came to talk to us briefly before our session Saturday morning when my brain kicked in and I realized who Brad Friedel actually was. For those of you who don't know, Brad Friedel played on the US Men's National Team as a goalkeeper, and also internationally with Aston Villa. He has plenty of experience to go around and it was an honor to speak with him.

We had two sessions on Saturday, and the weather cooperated nicely for the most part. The main topic of focus for the morning practice was 1 v 1 and 2 v 2 attacking and defending. When everybody is competing for a spot and trying to showcase themselves to the coaching staff, every training session is intense. Of course we have fun while we're going through the drills, but deep down each person has their own goal in mind...to make the final roster. In the afternoon, we split into two teams and scrimmaged. There is a great deal of talent and experience on this team, so it was interesting to see all of the different styles of play and try to fit into the chaos myself. For those of you who know me as a player, my position for Florida State is an attacking center midfielder. For the first half of our scrimmage I was playing as a forward. Now you may think it's an easy transition, but it's safe to say that I just pretended to look like I knew what I was doing up there! I felt much more comfortable in my usual position during the second half, slotting two assists and helping my team come out to a 3-1 win.

Let's get down to the important stuff: FOOD. Mom, I'm sorry if you're reading this, but this chef could give you a run for your money! The food here is really good, maybe too good. I've always been a big eater so having so many good things to choose from cannot be good. Luckily the elevators don't work here and I can burn some calories off climbing the stairs. I guess playing soccer for four hours a day helps too.

That's all I have for now! I haven't had any encounters with LeBron James yet, but believe me I'm working on it and you will definitely hear about it if that meeting happens!

#13 Amanda DaCosta