Last season, redshirt freshman Nikki Myers was only allowed to practice, but never actually play.
Long Beach State women’s head soccer coach Mauricio Ingrassia believed Myers was not in shape to compete last year, and she thought the same. She paced the sidelines during the 2006 season, waiting for her turn to kick for LBSU, but remained patient.
“I wanted to make sure that I could help the team [through practice], come back next season and be better,” Myers said.
Improvement from last season has not necessarily been achieved for the team, but Myers has certainly arrived, far removed from last season and much improved for this one.
Myers has shown that patience is a virtue through her play this season, in which she is tied for first with junior midfielder Kim Silos in goals scored for LBSU. Myers is one of several freshmen to start this season at LBSU, but her journey to college soccer was quite a bumpy one.
“Last year, I just told her that she wasn’t going to travel [with us],” Ingrassia said.”She needed to work harder and train on her own. For her to play in the spring the way she did, I feel she has been way better than she’s ever been.”
Myers said she practiced and trained all of last season, awaiting her chance to play again.
“I myself wanted to up my level because of the competition,” Myers said.”The level of competition [in college soccer] is definitely a lot higher.”
Myers did not come to LBSU under the radar. Her name resonates through many high school soccer fields in San Diego. Myers was a three-sport talent at Marian Catholic High School, playing softball during her freshman year and running track for two years.
Myers posted a lengthy resume in high school soccer. Besides being a four-year letterman, Myers was an all-league first team selection all four years and a three-time all-CIF selection. While those accolades proved Myers to be a good soccer player for her team, her scoring records in San Diego were tremendous.
A two-time league player of the year, Myers ranks third all-time in San Diego’s CIF history in goals with 136. She led San Diego County in goals during her junior and senior seasons, and set a high school season scoring record three times. Forty-five is the magic number that Myers cemented into Marian Catholic High School’s history during 2005. “Soccer has been my life,” Myers said. “I’m very content at doing better things.”
The soccer field was not the only thing Myers mastered in San Diego. She said she played softball for one season, amd her team reached the CIF semifinals that season. Myers sarcastically said she was a pinch hitter the whole time.
Myers was never far from success in any of the sports she played. In fact, she held quite a track record, which she was part of the high school’s 4 x 100-meter relay team that set two different school-record times (53.34, 51.92).
Club soccer has remained a part of Myers’ decorated career. She is currently playing for the Hotspurs team in San Diego, and has led her club in scoring the past five years.
“Club soccer prepared me, but it was the highest level for me,” Myers said.
With her abilities intact, Myers arrived at LBSU not quite playing at the level Ingrassia stressed to every player.
“It was an eye-opening experience for her at the collegiate level,” Ingrassia said. “Her fitness was so poor, but I’m glad we took a chance with her. Her improvement was immediate; she matured a lot and learned how to train better.”
“I did my best at practice and I got more motivated,” Myers said.””I was patient enough to want more this season.”
Myers got more than she expected – a starting spot. She also gave more than Ingrassia expected – a vast improvement.
“She has had a great start to the season and she still has a lot more to give,” Ingrassia said. “Her goal at Clemson was a highlight reel.”
That goal was from 45 yards out and exemplified how far the former San Diego soccer star will go to push the team to greater heights. Ingrassia mentioned Myers’ remarkable assist against Oklahoma as one of the top plays of the season for LBSU.
“She sliced and diced around two girls to deliver a difficult shot to Silos for the win,” Ingrassia said.””Nikki is a quiet, hard worker. She is a fast learner, and we play quickly through her.”
The road continues for Myers, but she is not alone this time. She joins LBSU in a quest for championship success.
“I want to be part of a team to win it all,” Myers said. “We just want to be able to play our level. We know we are capable of winning it all.”
Nobody can deny Myers those aspirations. From a redshirt in 2006 to a black and gold jersey this season, Myers is in full form for LBSU, with goals to score, and to achieve.
