Greene goes from international to college soccer

By Kat Frazier
Sports Editor

Greene takes a goal kick during a varsity soccer game / Photo by Kat Frazier
Greene takes a goal kick during a varsity soccer game / Photo by Kat Frazier

Not every college athlete has the opportunity to play at the international level in his sport after graduation, and fewer have a chance to play at the international before college. Varsity women’s soccer junior goalkeeper Ariel Greene has been one of those with that opportunity.

As the daughter of missionaries, Greene moved to Honduras at age 5 and only visited the United States during the summer every four years.

Greene took a year off after graduating high school in 2011 to join the Honduran national team where she played for three years. She started on the U-20 team, where she was the starting goalkeeper, and was moved up to the ‘Mayor’ team, as an alternating starting goalie, to participate in the Pre-Olympics qualifying round in Guatemala. She says that as a member of the ‘Mayor’ team, if they had gotten past the qualifying round, she would have been able to play against members of the U.S. women’s team such as Hope Solo and Abby Wambach.

Greene says that going from the international level to a college level “was a different speed of play, a different mentality.  So there was a difference and just took some adjusting to go from the national team to Bryan College.”

She explained that as a freshman she redshirted so the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) could make sure she was not a professional athlete. As a member of a national team, she is not allowed to be paid, otherwise she would be considered a professional athlete; however, the team can pay for her food, transportation, and lodging.

Greene played as the goalkeeper for the JV team her sophomore year and said that “it was more practice for me and helping with my technique especially since I haven’t had a goalkeeper coach, which I had with the national team. So it just helped me get shots in and it was a lot of fun.”

Sophomore defender Christine Kent has played with Greene on both JV and varsity and says that “she has gained confidence through playing on both teams; she’s becoming more vocal in the back, stronger in one on one’s, and makes quicker decisions. Her communication on the field is full of encouragement. If this came from her playing with the national team I don’t know. She’s an encouraging, hard working person who is eager to get better.”

Junior defender Kristin Bryant rooms with Greene in her townhouse and says that, “it’s awesome being with her on the field and even better rooming with her. She’s so sweet and kind. We have an absolute blast together! And yes, she is the same on and off the field. Kind, patient and a hard worker in everything she does.”

Greene says that she hopes to play at the national level again, but she just has to pick a country: Honduras or the United States.