YBOR CITY, Fla. — At 22 years young, Lakeland-native and Tampa Bay Sun goalkeeper Liz Beardsley is about to make her second stint with the U.S. National Team. The NWSL's Houston Dash loaned Beardsley to the Sun so she could get consistent playing time for the rest of the club season, and she couldn't have landed in a better spot.
Beardsley's college career started at the University of Georgia, but she was benched after a coaching change. However, she stayed the course with some help from her mother.
"I remember her saying, 'You're going to be thankful this happened' at one point. I'm like 'No. There's no way.' Because it was the worst thing that had happened to me, up until then," Beardsley recalled. "And, she was sure enough right. I was able to focus on who I was as a person, who I was outside of soccer. I was able to find myself, and I think that's where I found I still had the love for the game.
Sun Head Coach Denise Schilte-Brown recruited Beardsley multiple times when she was at USF, partly because she has the mettle to handle adversity.
"The player that's gone the furthest isn't the one that's had this cushy ride the whole time," Schilte-Brown said before a training session. "It's somebody like Liz that's had to sit behind players, or fight for their spots, or prove their worth. She's been put in those situations and passed with flying colors."
Maybe the only person happier to have Beardsley in a Sun jersey is her mom.
"She didn't believe it. She just cheered on the phone. She was so thrilled," Liz said when describing her mother's reaction. "I was able to make my pro debut. To make it at home and have my whole family in the stands… that was truly special."
Beardsley had multiple full-circle moments when she made her way home. After she told her friends and family that she'd be playing for the Sun, she texted her former college teammate and current Sun goalkeeper Emory Wegener to tell her they'd be teammates again.
"She sent me a text, and she was like, 'I have some news.' I was like 'Oh gosh, what could it be?' She's like, 'We're going to be teammates, again, after four years,'" Wegener remembered. "I was like 'Oh my God.' I was so excited about it. We have so much fun together. We push each other so hard."
"To have someone who's like, 'Hey, come along with us. Hey, this is how things work.' I've asked her so many questions since I've been here," Beardsley said.
"She asked a lot of questions, and I'm happy about it," Wegener said with a smile.
"She's been very patient with me. So it's been nice to have someone who you can just go to for questions," Beardsley added.
The Sun will host rival Fort Lauderdale United FC Saturday night at Suncoast Credit Union Field. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
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Tampa Bay 28 Sports Anchor Kevin Lewis knows what happens on the field ties us together. From parents coaching kids to young athletes achieving life-long dreams, Kevin shares stories we can all celebrate. Reach out to him below.
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