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Former North Florida Star Is Living Her Lifelong Dream
Lisa's professional career allows her to experience much of Europe.
National Scouting Report2003 alum, Lisa Taylor, didn’t have far to go to hook up with NSR as a high school soccer player at Spruce Creek High in Daytona, Fla. As it turns out, she was a good friend of the oldest daughter of NSR veteran scout, Dave Johnson (Northeast Fla). And it didn’t take very long for Dave to recognize Lisa’s considerable talent. Looking back at her prep resume, one would be hard pressed to find a prospect anywhere with a more extensive list of awards, honors or accomplishments. As a consummate student-athlete, Lisa excelled in the classroom as well as on the soccer field. She went on to play soccer collegiately at the University of North Florida where she started for four years. Upon finishing college, she took a circuitous and intriguing route to finally realizing her dream of playing professionally in Munich, Germany. On a recent visit back to the States, Dave caught up to Lisa and interviewed her for NSR.
DJ-NSR: You graduated from Spruce Creek in 2003 and then headed to North Florida. I know you had some injuries while at UNF. What where they and were you able to play all four years?
LT: I arrived at the University of North Florida in the fall of 2003. I was on scholarship to play on the women’s team. After fracturing my tibia-plateau in pre-season of my junior year, I decided to redshirt. I came back from that injury and played my senior year and decided to stay and play a fifth year, under a new coach. Throughout the majority of my career at UNF, I played central defense.
DJ-NSR: What have you done since college and what made you decide to start playing soccer again?
JT: Since leaving UNF after the fall semester of 2007, I worked in public relations in Jacksonville (Fla). From there I did an internship at the PGA Tour headquarters in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Next I relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina, to work as an account executive or Toshiba Business Solutions. In the summer of 2010, I moved back to Florida after being laid-off. It was then that I decided to try to accomplish a goal that I have always had – living abroad while playing professional soccer. It was then or never. It wasn’t that I decided to start playing again. I had kept up with playing on adult co-ed recreational teams and what not. It was that I wanted to play at a high level again, give it everything I had left and leave it all on the field before I hopefully would begin a soccer coaching career.
Lisa as a star defensive player at Spruce Creek High in Daytona, circa 2003.
DJ-NSR: How did you get signed by this German team?
LT: In the Fall of 2010, I contacted multiple team managers and coaches (they are called “trainers” in Europe) in Norway, Sweden and Germany and introduced myself. I was invited for (several) tryouts in Germany and Sweden. Two of the four teams I landed a try-out with were in the top-professional league in their prospective countries – FC Bayern Munchen in Germany and AIK in Stockholm, Sweden. Although I didn’t make either one of those teams, the tryout was a wonderful learning experience all-around. Amongst the teams (in lower divisions) I did make, I decided to play in a city I really enjoyed visiting and could see myself living in and where I felt I was a good fit on the team. I am playing for FFC Wacker Muchen 99 e.V. http://www.ffc-wacker.de/ in Munich, Germany.
DJ-NSR: What type of schedule will you be playing? How long does the season last?
LT: Practices take place four days a week with games on Sundays, typically. The season ends in May and begins again in August, taking both a summer and a winter break. The first official game kicking off the second half of their season begins March 13, 2011. For away games, we will be traveling by bus which I am really looking forward to – exploring new cities and soaking in the German countryside which is (to me) surprisingly beautiful!
DJ-NSR: How does it feel to be a professional soccer player?
JT: Being a professional soccer player and playing in Germany feels amazing. I get to feel the adrenaline rush of playing in an actual game and I have the self-satisfaction of knowing I accomplished one of my dreams – to pick up and leave the comfy U.S., live and travel abroad and do so by playing the game I love.
DJ-NSR: And what has been your biggest challenge?
JT: The coach only speaks in German. English is hardly ever spoken. I have to ask the few players on the team who speak some English to help translate what the coach said about directions for drills, criticisms, times of games, etc. But that’s what makes this experience fun, challenging, unique and so memorable. And although my progress is slow, I am picking up on some of the lingo, such as jog slowly, pressure the ball and begin now. Outside of soccer, I’ve learned how to say “What’s up?’ “Which train to the main station?” and “Can I have a smoked salmon baguette, please?”
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.
If you are ready to take your recruiting to the next level, click the Get Scouted button below to be evaluated by an NSR College Scout.
