Casey Ramirez of the Portland Thorns reunited with Syracuse head coach Phil Wheddon last month during his time with the U.S. national team.
Ramirez Joins Professional Soccer League
8/5/2013 3:43:00 PM | Women's Soccer
Former Orange standout #Casey Ramirez# has found her dream. The 2012 graduate is playing professional soccer for the Portland Thorns in the inaugural season of the National Women's Soccer League. After playing in Europe following graduation, Ramirez is back on home soil to compete with and against some of the best players in the world.
"Being a professional soccer player was not always my dream growing up," Ramirez said. "To be honest, I went back and forth between wanting to be a professional snowboarder or Beyonce (laughing). But like everyone knows, your dreams change as you get older. After spending a year in Europe it was hard not to fall in love with the sport of soccer. I was surrounded by people who were passionate about the game, talented, and die-hard fans. I did not realize it was my dream until I started living it."
Ramirez's time overseas not only gave her a passion for the sport, but it provided an opportunity to further develop her skills.
"Over the course of eight months I had travelled to seven different countries and was improving technically and tactically as a player," Ramirez said. "I realized that traveling the world while being paid to play the sport I love was a dream come true. I also saw how much I grew as a person during this process and at the end of the day that is the most important thing I can take away from anything I do."
Ramirez was one of two Americans competing at the highest league in Denmark and one of the highest levels in the Champions League. From there, she had the opportunity to play with the Thorns. After conversations with head coach Cindy Parlow Cone, who had seen videos of Ramirez playing in Denmark, she agreed to join Portland midseason.
"There is not always one road to get to where you want to be," Ramirez said. "I knew my goal was to play in the highest league in the U.S. in front of my friends and family, but I know the road isn't the same for everyone. It was a very exciting time but also very stressful, meeting league deadlines and moving from one side of the world to the other. I played my last game in Denmark on June 10, flew home on June 11, repacked my bags on June 12 and moved to Portland, Ore. on June 13."
Ramirez, who saw time in both the midfield and backfield at SU, played in 75 games for the Orange. She recorded three goals and four assists in her career. Ramirez was the team's two-time Defensive MVP and earned a BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week award. She was also recognized for her work in the classroom as a member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
"The differences between collegiate soccer and professional soccer are both on the field and off," Ramirez said. "In college everyone was a 'student-athlete'. In case you didn't notice, student comes first in student-athlete. School is the focus because in order to participate on the team, your grades have to be up to par. Your teammates are all living similar lives and have similar goals.
"At the professional level you may play with players who are married, have children, have careers in addition to being a professional athlete. Some might even be players you looked up to as a young player while playing in college. On my team alone I train with some of the best players in the world such as Alex Morgan, Christine Sinclair, and Tobin Heath. It's amazing being around players who love the game so much and make incredible sacrifices to be the best player than can be."
Ramirez was a freshman in 2008, which was head coach Phil Wheddon's first year at the helm of the program. She helped the program improve every season, culminating in an appearance in the 2011 BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals. It marked the first time Syracuse qualified for post-season play since 2005.
"Syracuse women's soccer is a program that has been rebuilding since my freshman year," Ramirez said. "Rebuilding a program takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and patience, which are three difficult qualities for a young athlete to learn. Through this process, Syracuse taught me the importance of the word 'team', whether discussing players or leadership. It taught me the importance of each member working toward a common goal, whether it be physical fitness or cheering each other on.
"Syracuse will always be a place I call home. No matter where in the world I have gone, from Los Angeles to Miami to Paris to Copenhagen, there are people who bleed orange. I love that about the Cuse' and it will be something that I always take with me."
"Being a professional soccer player was not always my dream growing up," Ramirez said. "To be honest, I went back and forth between wanting to be a professional snowboarder or Beyonce (laughing). But like everyone knows, your dreams change as you get older. After spending a year in Europe it was hard not to fall in love with the sport of soccer. I was surrounded by people who were passionate about the game, talented, and die-hard fans. I did not realize it was my dream until I started living it."
Ramirez's time overseas not only gave her a passion for the sport, but it provided an opportunity to further develop her skills.
"Over the course of eight months I had travelled to seven different countries and was improving technically and tactically as a player," Ramirez said. "I realized that traveling the world while being paid to play the sport I love was a dream come true. I also saw how much I grew as a person during this process and at the end of the day that is the most important thing I can take away from anything I do."
Ramirez was one of two Americans competing at the highest league in Denmark and one of the highest levels in the Champions League. From there, she had the opportunity to play with the Thorns. After conversations with head coach Cindy Parlow Cone, who had seen videos of Ramirez playing in Denmark, she agreed to join Portland midseason.
"There is not always one road to get to where you want to be," Ramirez said. "I knew my goal was to play in the highest league in the U.S. in front of my friends and family, but I know the road isn't the same for everyone. It was a very exciting time but also very stressful, meeting league deadlines and moving from one side of the world to the other. I played my last game in Denmark on June 10, flew home on June 11, repacked my bags on June 12 and moved to Portland, Ore. on June 13."
Ramirez, who saw time in both the midfield and backfield at SU, played in 75 games for the Orange. She recorded three goals and four assists in her career. Ramirez was the team's two-time Defensive MVP and earned a BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week award. She was also recognized for her work in the classroom as a member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll.
"The differences between collegiate soccer and professional soccer are both on the field and off," Ramirez said. "In college everyone was a 'student-athlete'. In case you didn't notice, student comes first in student-athlete. School is the focus because in order to participate on the team, your grades have to be up to par. Your teammates are all living similar lives and have similar goals.
"At the professional level you may play with players who are married, have children, have careers in addition to being a professional athlete. Some might even be players you looked up to as a young player while playing in college. On my team alone I train with some of the best players in the world such as Alex Morgan, Christine Sinclair, and Tobin Heath. It's amazing being around players who love the game so much and make incredible sacrifices to be the best player than can be."
Ramirez was a freshman in 2008, which was head coach Phil Wheddon's first year at the helm of the program. She helped the program improve every season, culminating in an appearance in the 2011 BIG EAST Tournament quarterfinals. It marked the first time Syracuse qualified for post-season play since 2005.
"Syracuse women's soccer is a program that has been rebuilding since my freshman year," Ramirez said. "Rebuilding a program takes a lot of hard work, dedication, and patience, which are three difficult qualities for a young athlete to learn. Through this process, Syracuse taught me the importance of the word 'team', whether discussing players or leadership. It taught me the importance of each member working toward a common goal, whether it be physical fitness or cheering each other on.
"Syracuse will always be a place I call home. No matter where in the world I have gone, from Los Angeles to Miami to Paris to Copenhagen, there are people who bleed orange. I love that about the Cuse' and it will be something that I always take with me."
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