Lincoln – With the first season of the Women’s Professional Soccer League nearly half over, former Huskers Karina LeBlanc and Christine Latham have established themselves as key players for their respective squads.
LeBlanc has led the Los Angeles Sol to a 4-1-2 record to sit atop the WPS standings. Starting all seven contests in net, she leads the league with six shutouts and is second with 28 saves. She has allowed two goals for a 0.29 goals-against average.
Latham has been just as impressive at forward for the Boston Breakers, who sit second in the seven-team league with a 3-2-2 record. She has appeared in all seven contests, including starting the last three. She notched the Breaker’s game-winning goal in a 3-1 win over the Washington Freedom on April 18, and added an assist in last Sunday’s 1-1 tie with Washington.
The two former NU teammates have faced each other twice so far this season. LeBlanc surrendered her only two goals of the season to Boston in a 2-1 loss on May 2, but rebounded to shut out the Breakers on May 10. The Sol was unable to notch a score of their own, though, as the teams tied at zero. The squads end the regular-season against each other on Aug. 9 at Harvard Stadium in Boston, Ma.
Huskers.com recently caught up with LeBlanc and Latham to discuss their success in the WPS and at Nebraska.
Karina LeBlanc – Los Angeles Sol – Goalkeeper
Q: Both you and Christine play for teams that are excelling in the WPS. How has your experience been so far?
A: “Playing in the WPS has been a fantastic experience because it’s the best league in the world. I get to compete against the best players in the world. Any time you get to be in that environment and do something you love, you are living your dreams. I love it. It proves hard work pays off.”
Q: You and Christine have faced each other twice so far and end the regular season against each other. What is it like to go against your former Nebraska teammate?
A: “Christine is a phenomenal player. She is very strong and has a presence on the field. It’s always fun to play against people you know. Every game is fun and exciting. It’s our job to put an entertaining game on for the fans and the style she plays is very entertaining.”
Q: On a personal level, you’ve both been playing well. What would you attribute your success to?
A: “My experience as a goalkeeper. My years at Nebraska were great and then moving on to work with the Canadian national team at events like the World Cup and Olympics was great. It’s a team effort to have shutouts. Everyone has to work hard for each other. That is success across the board for any team that has success. I study the game. I learn as much as I can from the game every day. I’ve never had a day where I felt like I’ve learned everything.”
Q: How did your time at Nebraska help prepare you for the WPS?
A: “There is always a jump from every level you play, but playing at a program like Nebraska prepares you well. We trained everyday as if we were training for the next level. John [Walker] was never a coach that settled. He kept pushing me personally and the team to be successful.”
Q: What did you most enjoy about playing for the Huskers?
A: “I would really say the environment was amazing. For a college game, we had amazing fans. That stands out for me. We had the best teammates. Some of the people I went to school with are the best friends I have. We played hard for each other. The combination of the environment and fans at Nebraska were irreplaceable.”
Q: You’re an assistant coach for Rutgers now, what is one thing Nebraska coach John Walker taught you that you try to instill in your student-athletes?
A: “John has taught me so much. One thing was his ability to prepare you for the next level with his intensity in the training sessions. He always had expectations for you to push yourself. I haven’t met anyone who knows the little details and remembers them so well. He paid such close attention to the little details. He had an ability to make you understand the little things are what make the big things great.”
Q: What would your advice be to current Huskers who want to play in the WPS in the future?
A: “You have to dream big and put the work in. Part of putting the work in is more than what you do on the field. It’s what you do off the field. Trust in your coaching staff that what they are telling you to do is going to make you successful.”
Christine Latham – Boston Breakers – Forward
Q: Both you and Karina play for teams that are excelling in the WPS. How has your experience been so far?
A: “Karina and I both played in the WUSA, so it’s kind of different in the WPS. I’m kind of older and other players are younger. I’ve done this before so I’m bringing in experience, where before I was a rookie coming in right out of college. Now that I’m older it’s easier in some ways. It’s still hard but I’m more used to it. The WPS is awesome, though. I know our team is great. We have no egos. We have a whole bunch of top-notch players and everybody is totally down to earth. We have some good experience and a bunch of good leaders.”
Q: You and Karina have faced each other twice and end the regular season against each other, what is it like to go against your former Nebraska teammate?
A: “We are both in it for the win, but it’s good to see people are still representing Husker soccer at the highest level. It’s good for John [Walker] to show younger players where they can end up. Obviously we want to represent Nebraska because the program gave us so much.”
Q: On a personal level, you’ve both been playing well. What would you attribute your success to?
A: “To be honest, it came from Nebraska. I think John implementing a good work ethic has carried me far in the league and international level. He established a great base for me. John really gave me a good package to be successful at any level. I owe a lot to being in his program for four years.”
Q: What did you most enjoy about playing for the Huskers?
A: “Probably the team unity that we had throughout the years. We were never the best, but we always had a strong committed group willing to give it all to win. Everybody wanted to come out and work hard on and off the field. That is what enabled us to be successful through those years. The coaching staff didn’t settle for anything but everybody’s best.”
Q: You trained with the Nebraska team earlier this year when you were preparing for the WPS draft, what kind of impression did you get from the current Husker squad?
A: “One of their strengths is they are extremely fit. Their fitness level is exceptional. Off the field they are a great group of girls. They are exceptional in the classroom. Probably most important is that they all care about each other. That is a good start to developing a strong group. You can’t have players who don’t want to be part of the bigger picture. These players do.”
Q: What would your advice be to current Huskers who want to play in the WPS in the future?
A: “I would say the biggest quality that they can carry on and be successful with is the hard work factor. There is no time to take breaks and think about your feelings. It is all about putting in the work and getting the results. It’s not going to be easy. It’s going to be hard, but if you’re willing to put in the hard work, results will come your way.”
