"Prince Q and A" with defender Brea Griffiths of w. soccer

Recently, Prince writer Blaire Russell sat down with women's soccer defender Brea Griffiths. A transcript of their conversation follows.

"Prince": What city and high school are you from?

Brea Griffiths: I'm from Burlington, Ontario, which is a city outside of Toronto. I went to Nelson High School, a public school, along with Krista and Lynn Ariss, who are seniors here and who are on the team.

P: How did you start playing soccer?

BG: I started playing soccer the summer after Grade 1, because a girl in my class wanted me to play mini soccer with her.

P: What is your family like? Are they supportive of your soccer career?

BG: Well, I have a pretty big family, so the amount of support I get is huge. None of my siblings have ever touched a soccer ball, or have ever played on a competitive sports team, so I guess I'm the odd one out.

P: Your current position on the field is central defender; is that the only position you play or have played?

BG: I've basically played everywhere on the field.

P: What specific talents do you have that led to your becoming a defensive player as opposed to offensive?

BG: This is a toughie. I guess I'm aggressive and physical, so I can break plays up. Because of my height, I also win a lot of balls in the air, which is key to playing a central defensive position. And as my teammates can attest to, I will do whatever it takes to make sure a player doesn't beat me. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm just a dirty player who will get the job done on defense.

P: Describe your experience and accomplishments playing high school sports.

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BG: Luckily, my high school soccer team was very strong. The team won five provincial championships in eight years, and I was able to be part of two of those championships. Traditionally, high school soccer is not nearly as intense or time consuming as club soccer. I won athlete of the year and student athlete of the year in high school, was MVP on all the teams I played for (basketball, volleyball, and soccer), and was honored to captain all of my teams.

P: What was the recruitment process like and why did you pick Princeton?

BG: Krista and Lynn Ariss are two of my good friends, and they, being two years older than myself and already at Princeton, basically told our coach about me, and how much they wanted me to come here. Supposedly, our coach saw a video of me playing, but I'm not so sure. And, well, here I am.

P: Have you noticed differences between Canadian and American soccer?

BG: There are some differences between us — the five Canadians on our team — and the rest of the team. The five of us have realized that we are definitely bigger, all muscle of course, than most of our teammates. I think we are also more physical when we play, but it seems like the rest of the team has had enough with our bullying and has started to push back a little harder.

P: What do you see as your role on the team?

BG: On the field, I see myself as an impact player, helping to control the back line. I feel a lot of pressure to not make a mistake, because in the past our defense has been considered one of the best in the country. That just adds to the pressure on the back four and keeper to play a perfect game.

P: What do you think of the saying "offense gets the glory but defense wins the games"?

BG: That's true, because, as our coach reminds us, defense starts from the first moment we lose the ball. Every player participates on defense.

P: What is the team like from your perspective?

BG: First off, I love this team. The chemistry of this team on and off the field is incredible. Our seniors are a really strong class this year; I don't even want to think about the fact that they won't be around next year. Our juniors are the funniest group, and they really step up to get our team going on and off the field. The Nasty Nine is happy to progress beyond its position as "freshies." Overall, I think we sophomores are the most confident, okay maybe arrogant, class, and we're not afraid to show it. The freshmen are awesome this year; they've all really fit in with the rest of the team, and I think they're having a great time right now.

P: How does [head coach Julie] Shackford compare to coaches you have had in the past?

BG: Surprisingly enough, Shacks is the first female coach I've ever had. She is a really strong woman, and also extremely intelligent. She has taught me more tactically on the field than anyone else. She demands a lot out of our team, but it just keeps pushing us to get better and better.

P: What is your favorite aspect of the game?

BG: I love being part of this team. I love how close we all are. I love having 26 best friends on campus.

P: What is the most valuable advice you have received about how to be a strong defensive player?

BG: It's very important before each game to pick a player on the other team, and dominate them for the entire game. The night before games our team will go through the roster of the other team and pick out our player to dominate. As Lisbakken would say, we would each 'pick our bitch.'

P: Where do you see your future as a soccer player?

BG: I haven't looked past college soccer, so I'm not sure how I see my future. I don't aspire to play pro, so I I will just keeping playing on an amateur team until I can't play any longer. I'm just too caught up with how much fun I'm having on this team that I don't ever think about anything else.