The Upper Island Riptide brought in retired soccer star Ciara McCormack to run a training/information session for girls who play ‘The Beautiful Game.’ The session, held Jan. 30 at the Glacier Gardens Arena, included some tips about getting into universities.
McCormack played professional soccer for 14 years in Denmark, Norway, Australia, Canada and the U.S.
In 2003, she and teammate Stacey Peterson became the first players from North America to reach the UEFA Champions League final, and McCormack was the first North American player to score in UEFA Champions League play. While playing in Europe, she earned a spot on the Irish national team, representing the country where her parents were born, earning her first caps against the U.S. in 2008.
This remarkable career was built on sheer force of will by a player who was often told she wasn’t good enough. McCormack is living proof that with the right support and information, and when someone is willing to work harder than everyone else, the impossible becomes possible.
Since her playing career ended, McCormack co-founded a girls soccer club in Connecticut, helping almost 80 per cent of her players land on NCAA rosters in 2016, including offers from Big Ten, Ivy League and SEC schools. She was also an assistant at Yale from 2011-2014, and she created the first all-girls soccer showcase in Canada in 2008.
McCormack launched TOPP Soccer with the belief that applying an organized, rigorous approach to the college recruiting process can empower any player to achieve a successful outcome. The team at TOPP Soccer knows it has unique tools and experience that can help high school players with great attitudes, a solid level of technical/tactical and physical skill, along with the proper work ethic, to find the perfect college where they can play soccer and obtain a great education.