McDaniel living out professional dream in France
1/25/2016 8:00:00 AM | Soccer
After etching her name among the best on the pitch in the Southland Conference last fall, former Sam Houston State soccer midfielder Shelby McDaniel is living out her dream of playing professional soccer, signing with U.S. Rouvroy.
“In college I grew into a smarter player,” McDaniel said. “Understanding a more tactical side of soccer has helped me in the long run alongside working with intensity at all times has set me apart here in France.”
McDaniel, a four-year letterman and league honorable mention last year, found an opportunity with the club when it began seeking more attack-minded players. Before the League City product knew it, she was packing her bags for France.
“The opportunity came about through networking,” McDaniel said. “I reached out to a player I had played against that played abroad and asked for her advice. She helped tremendously with getting my info and video to the right people and it all ended up in the right hands of a guy who is now my agent.”
During four years with the Bearkats, McDaniel tallied 11 assists, good enough for third in school history, while logging 133 shots, ranking fifth. Her presence on the pitch also played a major role in Sam Houston's 10-win 2015 season, capped by a trip to the league championship game.
“Shelby is very good on the ball and does a good job at finding her teammates with passes,” eighth-year head coach Tom Brown said. “She is very fit and is also quick on the ball. She will have to adjust to having very limited substitutes. She will have to learn how to pace herself in a game and be successful at the right times over 90 minutes.”
According to McDaniel, among her favorite perks of competing professionally has been the opportunity to travel, including the chance to see cities and places should would not have been able to otherwise.
“We just recently traveled to play Nancy St. Lorraine located in Nancy, France and it was amazing,” McDaniel said. “It was a city with beautiful architecture. Playing the first game finally after about two weeks of being here was also great and got me excited to work hard and improve in some areas.”
Under Brown, the Bearkats have utilized a style of play that includes playing through the team, avoiding techniques like launching the ball downfield in hopes the fastest player will run it down, something he believes benefits McDaniel and others for these type of opportunities.
“I think our style of play and how we develop players over their time here helps them be ready for further opportunities if they are good enough,” Brown said. “Shelby's ability to play this way will help her in Europe. Many teams say they play this way but few do. Upcoming players should watch how teams play and they will see why our style is different and why it works.”
McDaniel was among 20 members of the Sam Houston soccer program to be named to the 2015 Southland Conference Fall Commissioner's Honor Roll. The graduate student posted a perfect 4.0 while working to obtain her master of business administration.
“As a university, we are about educating students and preparing them for the future,” Brown said. “It is also important that our players who can be successful at the next level are prepared to do it. It is great that Shelby has taken this opportunity to go to France. We hope that more of our players in the future will be able to do this.”
While McDaniel admits the language barrier has been the most challenging part, she says on the field she is working to improve her speed of play and become more available as a midfielder.
“Being on the ball is a strength of mine and something I need to be more consistent at,” McDaniel said. “The adjustments have been tough as a midfielder with shape and organization. When you can't understand your fellow midfielders to organize better it creates a bit of frustration but with time that should get easier.”
With U.S. Rouvroy in its second year of competition, the team is looking to avoid being relegated among the bottom six in its division, a challenge McDaniel seems up for.
“There is a lot of work to do and I'm just hoping that I can help make a difference on this team to keep them in the league,” said McDaniel.
