Opportunity rings for Bel
Stanmore Bay soccer star Bel van Noorden has netted a four year scholarship in the USA.
The 21-year-old has accepted a position at the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania, and will fly out on Friday.
Van Noorden has been playing soccer since she was five-yearsold, but ‘‘you wouldn’t be able to tell,’’ she jokes.
She is excited and nervous for the transition, but looks forward to the intensity of the USA league.
‘‘There will definitely be a few challenges but hopefully I will get into the swing of things,’’ she says.
Van Noorden will spend four years studying and is allowed three years on the soccer field during her scholarship.
She is excited to have the opportunity to further her academic education in addition to the soccer.
‘‘It’s sad that not many people get that chance to learn such important things,’’ she says.
Having played soccer for most of her life, it was time off with injury that cemented her focus in the game.
She snapped the ACL tendon in her knee during a match shortly after college, and was told no more soccer for a year.
It was a rough blow for van Noorden, who had been considering scholarships at the time of the injury.
Easing herself back into the game after seven months off, van Noorden says she came back stronger and more focused than she was pre-injury.
The last three years have seen her find success with current team the Glenfield Rovers, and the U20 World Cup side in 2014.
With injury woes aside, van Noorden looks forward to making the most of her new opening.
‘‘It is an amazing feeling. Four years ago I thought I’d lost this opportunity, and I’m so grateful for everyone that has helped this opportunity to come back around,’’ she says.
‘‘I’ve learned so much as both a player and a person over the last few years - it is a very different dream now than it was, but that makes it even more exciting.’’
University of Pittsburgh head coach Greg Miller is excited to get van Noorden on board.
‘‘She has had a good deal of national team experience playing for her home country, New Zealand, including competing in a U20 World Cup,’’ Miller says.
‘‘She is an extremely mature young woman with great size, talent, and ability in front of goal. She gives us a presence up front we don’t currently have right now, and we look forward to the impact she’ll have.’’
‘‘It is a very different dream now than it was, but that makes it even more exciting’’