Hockinson High School senior midfielder Rylee Seekins will participate in a U.S. Soccer Women’s National Under-18 Team training camp next week near San Diego.
A total of 26 players born in 1998 were invited to the camp, which takes place Oct. 18-25 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif.
This is the first time Seekins has been invited to a national team training camp. She is one of seven midfielders invited to this camp. She attended a regional training camp several years ago.
“The pace of game is going to be a lot faster than I’m used to, and the competition is going to be intense,” Seekins said.
Seekins said she was hopeful she would get this opportunity. She noted that national level coaches have seen her play while traveling to various tournaments with her F.C. Portland club soccer team.
Seekins is verbally committed to play soccer for the University of Portland.
The leading scorer for Hockinson with 17 goals and five assists this season, Seekins will miss Hawks’ matches next week against Washougal, Woodland and R.A. Long, returning in time for the Oct. 27 match at Ridgefield.
Ridgefield junior Taryn Ries, a teammate of Seekins at FC Portland, was on the under-17 national team in February for the U-17 Women’s Invitational but did not appear in any of the three matches. In 2014, Ries participated in an under-15 national team camp. Ries is not attending this U-18 camp.
Seekins said she spoke with Ries about her national camp experience, and that Ries said the game is much faster and more physical than in high school or club soccer games.
All players at this camp are eligible for the team that will attempt to qualify for the 2016 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, but the goal for this age group is ultimately the 2018 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup, according to a U.S. Soccer press release.
The Under-17 national team is coached by U.S. Soccer Women’s Technical Director April Heinrichs. During this camp, one match is scheduled against the San Diego Sea Lions of the W-League.
Another local player on a women’s national soccer team roster is Camas High senior Lauren Rood.
Rood was one of three goalkeepers who participated in a Women’s Under-19 National Team training camp in September. She is not playing for Camas High School this season, and is verbally committed to play college soccer for Stanford.
