For more information on the signing, check out uwmpanthers.com HERE.
For all kinds of great facts on Keara and her outstanding career at Milwaukee, also go to uwmpanthers.com, but click HERE instead.
Now, on to the Q&A...
Keara stopped by the athletic department and talked about her upcoming professional soccer career.
kevin conway: How does it feel to have
signed your pro contract?
Keara Thompson: It’s exciting. It’s
just what I’ve dreamt about since I was like four, so it’s surreal to have it
actually be happening. So, it’s exciting.
kc: You played with Western New York
last season. How did that experience prepare you for this?
KT: It was short season, so it was kind
of a taste of that next level. Getting to play with some pretty talented
players and in a professional environment just really gave me a taste of what
to expect and prepare me for where I need to be at when I get there.
kc: What do you know about your new
Norweigan team and the league?
KT: I don’t know a ton, to be honest. I
know they were in in the Toppserien and then relegated for last season. Now
they’ve earned their way into being promoted back into the top league. They are
looking for some staying power in the league. The league is eight months long.
It starts mid-April and then goes until June. Then there’s a six-week “summer
holiday” from games. Then we come back until the end of October. I’ve known a
few players that have gone there and they say it’s good quality.
kc: It’s usually an easy question to
ask our former players about going abroad, but you are actually from, what we
would call, “abroad “ (Canada). How has having been living in a foreign country
prepared you for this next stage of living abroad?
KT: The main thing that will be
different will be the language barrier. I’m used to being far from home and
family, but it’s going to be a whole new thing. Canada and the U.S. are so similar;
it’s just like moving across the country rather than to a different country.
So, a different atmosphere, a different language, all that stuff, will be cool
to experience.
kc: You just finished school, so this
is your first “out of school” job. How does this factor into your post-college plans?
KT: It’s a really cool first job. It’s
a dream to go to work a few hours a day and play soccer during that time, let
alone travelling to a foreign country and do it. I’d much rather that than a
desk job. It’s a really nice way to prepare and build up some money for grad
school before I go. I was going to have to take a break regardless, so this is
a nice way to fill that time.
kc: How has your time at UWM, playing
four years, then another half finishing your degree, prepared you for post-college?
KT: Playing here under Mike and David,
they were incredible coaches. I could not have asked for a better experience
from them. With development and everything, they taught me a lot. That’s been
huge for me. The school, in general, this past year has been like I was still
on the team. I haven’t been treated differently. They’ve allowed me to come
back and train with them, even in their fall season when they have things they were
trying to accomplish and they want to get their own players time and training.
To allow me to keep training as well, I’m really grateful they allowed me to
come back and keep helping me out.
