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    Professional women soccer players visit, teach, play in Stuttgart

    Defending against a pro

    Photo By Marcus Fichtl | Stuttgart High School junior Bella Henderson (left) defends against an advance by...... read more read more

    STUTTGART, BW, GERMANY

    10.01.2021

    Story by Bardia Khajenoori 

    U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart

    Four professional women's soccer players visited Stuttgart on August 30 to raise community spirits, share insights, and offer advice and coaching to the next generation of players.

    Natasha Kai, Ashley Nick, Sarah Huffman, and Kassey Kallman came to Panzer Kaserne as part of a weeklong All-Star Soccer Tour through U.S. military bases in Germany. The tour is one of the first live engagements for Armed Forces Entertainment since the start of the pandemic.

    "I think it's a great opportunity to give back and show our appreciation to the people who fight for our country," said Kai, who was taking part in the tour for the second time.

    The day began with an early morning scrimmage against members of the 52d Strategic Signal Battalion. While friendly on its face, the game between professional athletes and professional soldiers was inherently competitive.

    "It's nice to see the troops smiling and having a good time, but yeah, I think we all really want to win," Nick said with a smile.
    Some service members who step up to face the pros learned the hard way that having general fitness and athletic prowess isn't all it takes in soccer.

    "You can have some really athletic men and women who probably dominate at other sports, but it's a little tricky when you play with your feet and you're not used to it," Kallman said. "So I think everyone has a good time seeing those physical specimens looking a little awkward and having some laughs."

    A post-match discussion identified a few areas of mutual familiarity in both careers, including mission focus, discipline, and the importance of teamwork, as well as work-life balance.

    The players then took part in a question and answer session with students at Stuttgart High School, sharing personal anecdotes and life lessons on topics ranging from participation in college sports to resilience in the wake of setbacks.

    Bella Henderson, a SHS junior and member of last season's soccer team, attended the Q&A and had an opportunity to speak one-on-one with Kallman after getting an autograph.

    "She plays my position, so it was really cool to see someone who's had experience at a professional level, and get advice from her that I'll hopefully be able to implement this year," Henderson said.

    Henderson had a chance to put that advice to use less than half an hour later while defending against Kai, a former U.S. international and Olympic gold medalist, as the All-Stars were split between two teams of SHS girls in a head-to-head matchup.

    After a lunch spent meeting and service members at the Originals Café dining facility, the players headed back to an indoor field for an afternoon of skills clinics with players aged 5-15.

    "It's a very humbling experience, seeing these kids and looking at the twinkle in their eyes when they're so excited to see us," Kai said.

    The players presented the garrison command team with a signed soccer ball as a memento of the visit before departing for the next stop on their tour.

    ----
    This story originally appeared on pages 6-7 of the October 2021 issue of the “Stuttgart Citizen.” It may also be found at https://issuu.com/advantinews/docs/sc_october_2021_3b173090b9d8bd/6. This version differs from the original publication in that a typographical error in Kai's name has been corrected in paragraph 11.

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    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 10.01.2021
    Date Posted: 12.30.2021 10:59
    Story ID: 412157
    Location: STUTTGART, BW, DE

    Web Views: 130
    Downloads: 0

    PUBLIC DOMAIN