When Arkansas junior Ashleigh Ellenwood was selected to participate in a U.S. invitation-only soccer camp this past summer, she knew she would have the opportunity to compete against the nation's best players.
What Ellenwood didn't know, however, it that the experience would change her entire outlook on playing the game and provide her guidance on what she needed to do to stay among those competing at the highest level in the game she loves.
The 5-foot-9 junior forward from Michigan City, Ind., was one of 24 players selected to attend the week-long, Under-23 U.S. National Team Domestic Camp in Seattle, Wash. in July. At only 20 years old, Ellenwood was hand-picked by U.S. National Team head coach Steve Swanson. The entire roster
consisted of current collegiate players, or players who played their senior seasons last fall.
“Through all the struggles and hard work that I have put in over the years, I finally feel that it is paying off,” Ellenwood said.
Ellenwood first established herself as a player to watch in club soccer and nothing in her first two years at the University of Arkansas did anything to diminish her reputation. Ellenwood led Arkansas in goals (14) and points (35) in each of her first two seasons.
Thanks in large part to Ellenwood's leadership, Arkansas vaulted to a 15-8-1 record in 2013, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament--the first ever in program history. The Razorbacks not only made the tournament draw, but won two matches to advance to the Round of 16, before falling to Duke on its home field on penalty kicks.
In 2014, she is already well on her way to breaking records. Through six games, Ellenwood has 55 goals for her career, tying her for sixth-place with Alexis Hyrup (1992-96) on Arkansas' all-time points list. She is also just two goals shy of surpassing Heather Cato's (1996-99) sixth-place standing in all-time goals scored.
Ellenwood started quickly this season and has made a regular habit of making Sunday's her lucky day. She scored her eighth game-winning goal for the Razorbacks in a 2-1 win against Oklahoma State the first Sunday of the season (Aug 24.) In the following Sunday’s game against Stephen F. Austin, she tallied two goals and an assist, bringing Arkansas to a 4-2 win.
Ellenwood is grateful for the unprecedented success, but is well aware that those types of accomplishments don't come without the help of her coaches and teammates. In fact, without the contributions of others along the way, the extraordinary opportunity to compete on the U.S. select team wouldn't have come to fruition.
“I know without the hard work of my teammates from my college and club team I couldn’t be as fortunate.”
In an effort to help chronicle the camp experience, Ellenwood decided to pen a blog about her time with the U.S. team. What started as a simple way to record events, soon became an introspective analysis on herself as an individual and a soccer player.
Once Ellenwood arrived at camp, she learned that although she could hold her own against the top players in the country, there was still plenty left to improve upon. Ellenwood soon discovered in the light of the incredible talent of the other players chosen to participate in the camp, her weaknesses were exposed in some of the drills.
“I definitely learned I need to be more technical on the ball, and that fitness is a key area I need to work on," Ellenwood says. "But since camp and throughout the summer I’ve been working on improving those skills."
Her blog also provided a window to the anxiety she was feeling in the weight of expectations for the 2014 season. After all, the 2013 season was a magical season, one where each new success was not forecasted and therefore all the more satisfying. The signature season presented a new challenge--expectations. So Ellenwood looked to her U.S. teammates for an assist and they helped her glean three meaningful lessons, which she recorded in her blog.
While she said her time at camp left her with anxiety and great expectations for this 2014-2015 soccer season, she was able to pass along three key lessons from Seattle on to her teammates.
Discipline: “We have to take one game at a time, we can’t underestimate any opponent, or think that we’re the underdog. We have to keep to what we do well.”
Dedication: “We have to be dedicated to each other. We do everything for each other. We keep to our team rules.”
Heart: “…which is something that this team exemplifies through everything they do.”
Ellenwood said perfection and excellence will be expected every hour of every day, and lifestyle changes will have to be made to fulfill her dream of playing professional soccer. Even as accomplished as she is in her sport, she still faces the challenges many face each and every day.
“‘Will I ever be good enough,’ is a question I ask myself every day,'” Ellenwood wrote. “Never have I experienced the level of soccer that was played at camp throughout the week and this taught me that there is a whole other level [of play] above college soccer. [Camp] showed me that I can play at that level, and therefore I need to work really hard.”
The summer experience also taught Ellenwood some practical steps for helping her team and ultimately achieving her goal of professional soccer in her time away from the pitch.
“Diet will have to be stricter and more time will have to be dedicated to the sport,” Ellenwood noted. “It’s the little things like getting enough rest, eating right, and keeping up with school work that make a difference too.”
Ellenwood said the week of two-a-days in the Pacific Northwest taught her a lot about herself as a player and what it takes to become a good leader.
“My team will be successful because all the hard work everyone puts in together is what really matters, it’s not just one single person.”
Ellenwood found that many of the training camp’s returners made their lives revolve around soccer, something she knew she would need to do if she wanted to continue her career professionally.
“They showed a true dedication to the sport and have found a whole new intensity of being a soccer player.”
Insisting the team is focused on taking each opponent one contest at a time, Ellenwood’s motto: “Win the next game.” But when it comes to her future she acknowledges there is plenty more in play.
“God has a plan. He has the knowledge of what lies in the future, as well as, surrounds me with people who support me no matter the outcome, which I am forever thankful for. Camp was a once in a lifetime, life changing experience for me. To be able to get that opportunity and use it to the best of your abilities is something that I’ll have forever.”
This feature was published in Volume 6, Issue 1 of Inside Razorback Athletics Magazine.
What Ellenwood didn't know, however, it that the experience would change her entire outlook on playing the game and provide her guidance on what she needed to do to stay among those competing at the highest level in the game she loves.
The 5-foot-9 junior forward from Michigan City, Ind., was one of 24 players selected to attend the week-long, Under-23 U.S. National Team Domestic Camp in Seattle, Wash. in July. At only 20 years old, Ellenwood was hand-picked by U.S. National Team head coach Steve Swanson. The entire roster
consisted of current collegiate players, or players who played their senior seasons last fall.
“Through all the struggles and hard work that I have put in over the years, I finally feel that it is paying off,” Ellenwood said.
Ellenwood first established herself as a player to watch in club soccer and nothing in her first two years at the University of Arkansas did anything to diminish her reputation. Ellenwood led Arkansas in goals (14) and points (35) in each of her first two seasons.
Thanks in large part to Ellenwood's leadership, Arkansas vaulted to a 15-8-1 record in 2013, earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament--the first ever in program history. The Razorbacks not only made the tournament draw, but won two matches to advance to the Round of 16, before falling to Duke on its home field on penalty kicks.
In 2014, she is already well on her way to breaking records. Through six games, Ellenwood has 55 goals for her career, tying her for sixth-place with Alexis Hyrup (1992-96) on Arkansas' all-time points list. She is also just two goals shy of surpassing Heather Cato's (1996-99) sixth-place standing in all-time goals scored.
Ellenwood started quickly this season and has made a regular habit of making Sunday's her lucky day. She scored her eighth game-winning goal for the Razorbacks in a 2-1 win against Oklahoma State the first Sunday of the season (Aug 24.) In the following Sunday’s game against Stephen F. Austin, she tallied two goals and an assist, bringing Arkansas to a 4-2 win.
Ellenwood is grateful for the unprecedented success, but is well aware that those types of accomplishments don't come without the help of her coaches and teammates. In fact, without the contributions of others along the way, the extraordinary opportunity to compete on the U.S. select team wouldn't have come to fruition.
“I know without the hard work of my teammates from my college and club team I couldn’t be as fortunate.”
In an effort to help chronicle the camp experience, Ellenwood decided to pen a blog about her time with the U.S. team. What started as a simple way to record events, soon became an introspective analysis on herself as an individual and a soccer player.
Once Ellenwood arrived at camp, she learned that although she could hold her own against the top players in the country, there was still plenty left to improve upon. Ellenwood soon discovered in the light of the incredible talent of the other players chosen to participate in the camp, her weaknesses were exposed in some of the drills.
“I definitely learned I need to be more technical on the ball, and that fitness is a key area I need to work on," Ellenwood says. "But since camp and throughout the summer I’ve been working on improving those skills."
Her blog also provided a window to the anxiety she was feeling in the weight of expectations for the 2014 season. After all, the 2013 season was a magical season, one where each new success was not forecasted and therefore all the more satisfying. The signature season presented a new challenge--expectations. So Ellenwood looked to her U.S. teammates for an assist and they helped her glean three meaningful lessons, which she recorded in her blog.
While she said her time at camp left her with anxiety and great expectations for this 2014-2015 soccer season, she was able to pass along three key lessons from Seattle on to her teammates.
Discipline: “We have to take one game at a time, we can’t underestimate any opponent, or think that we’re the underdog. We have to keep to what we do well.”
Dedication: “We have to be dedicated to each other. We do everything for each other. We keep to our team rules.”
Heart: “…which is something that this team exemplifies through everything they do.”
Ellenwood said perfection and excellence will be expected every hour of every day, and lifestyle changes will have to be made to fulfill her dream of playing professional soccer. Even as accomplished as she is in her sport, she still faces the challenges many face each and every day.
“‘Will I ever be good enough,’ is a question I ask myself every day,'” Ellenwood wrote. “Never have I experienced the level of soccer that was played at camp throughout the week and this taught me that there is a whole other level [of play] above college soccer. [Camp] showed me that I can play at that level, and therefore I need to work really hard.”
The summer experience also taught Ellenwood some practical steps for helping her team and ultimately achieving her goal of professional soccer in her time away from the pitch.
“Diet will have to be stricter and more time will have to be dedicated to the sport,” Ellenwood noted. “It’s the little things like getting enough rest, eating right, and keeping up with school work that make a difference too.”
Ellenwood said the week of two-a-days in the Pacific Northwest taught her a lot about herself as a player and what it takes to become a good leader.
“My team will be successful because all the hard work everyone puts in together is what really matters, it’s not just one single person.”
Ellenwood found that many of the training camp’s returners made their lives revolve around soccer, something she knew she would need to do if she wanted to continue her career professionally.
“They showed a true dedication to the sport and have found a whole new intensity of being a soccer player.”
Insisting the team is focused on taking each opponent one contest at a time, Ellenwood’s motto: “Win the next game.” But when it comes to her future she acknowledges there is plenty more in play.
“God has a plan. He has the knowledge of what lies in the future, as well as, surrounds me with people who support me no matter the outcome, which I am forever thankful for. Camp was a once in a lifetime, life changing experience for me. To be able to get that opportunity and use it to the best of your abilities is something that I’ll have forever.”
This feature was published in Volume 6, Issue 1 of Inside Razorback Athletics Magazine.