22
Apr, 2020
Internationals SC are one of only eight Puma King club in the entire country and one of only eight clubs to participate in the exclusive Puma King Women’s Summit.
The weekend in New York City was filled with activities, educational sessions, and Q&As. Special guests included current and former U.S. Women’s National players Abby Dahlkemper, Sam Mewis, and Leslie Osborne.
Participants from Internationals SC included April Heinrichs, Tristan Sanders, and Emma Stransky. It was an opportunity to spend time with some of the world’s best players and an experience that no one would ever forget.
“Working with current and former national team players at the event was a dream come true,” Sanders said. “I had no clue and was so surprised. Being able to talk and hangout with them was surreal. It was nice to get to know them as a person instead of just watching them on TV or in interviews. It was nice to hear advice from someone that has experience in the soccer community.”
Stransky agreed.
“Working with current and former U.S. Women’s National Team players showed me characteristics an individual must have in order to play at the top level,” Stransky said. “They were leaders who showed us how to involve everyone in activities and made sure all of us were able to take something away from the event. Them sharing their stories showed the adversities they endured and the trials they overcame and informed us that our level of determination contributed to the bounce back off of an injury. Overall working with them was an unforgettable experience and the takeaways they left us with is something I will remember throughout the remainder of my soccer career.”
Sanders felt like she learned a lot from the event.
“I was able to learn from this experience that no one is perfect,” Sanders said. “We shouldn’t compare ourselves to others in a way that doesn’t make us feel good. I learned to love my body for what it is. I learned to change my negative thoughts into positive ones. I should always set goals to motivate myself to feel better.”
Stransky received her biggest lesson from a former women’s national team star.
“My favorite part of the summit was listening to Leslie Osborne’s story,” Stransky said. “Her resilience to her injuries was incredibly inspiring, and her ability to bounce back from adversities showed me that nothing should be able to hold a determined athlete back. She also showed us that our successes always outweigh the lows within our career, but we have to be patient in order to achieve these highs. I would highly recommend this experience to anyone who has to opportunity to go to it, it taught me things in days that no one else would be able to in years.”
Internationals SC Club and ECNL Director Keri Sarver was pleased to offer this opportunity to her coaches and players.
“Our club values our partnership with Puma and this summit is an example of our shared values and commitment toward empowering and inspiring girls and women through sport," Sarver said. "The activities, educational sessions, and Q&A were absolutely amazing events that the players will never forget. As you can tell from Emma and Tristan's comments, they were able to take away life lessons that will serve them well for many years to come!"
Working with Puma for 12 years has been a great experience for the club, providing players with great uniforms, gear, and even once-in-a-lifetime experiences.