Schrotenboer Stays Grounded by Family and Faith

by Julian Mitchell, For MSUSpartans.com

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State freshman Bria Schrotenboer had only been on campus for about two weeks last August, before she had to leave again. It was an unusual move to start her college career, but it was for a good reason, as she was one of 20 players selected for the U.S. Soccer's U-20 national team training camp from Aug. 24 through Sept. 1.

The team, which is a feeder program for the U.S. national system, competes in the U-20 World Cup and other international tournaments. So Schrotenboer's invitation to be part of the U-20's was a high honor - and a clear sign of her elite status as a defender.

She left East Lansing and went to Chula Vista, California, to the U.S. Olympic Training Center. She had the camp, and represented the U.S. in two friendlies, a win and a loss, against Japan.

That's a pretty decent excuse for missing class and MSU women's soccer.

"It's a really special feeling just knowing that I'm representing not just myself, but everything that I came in touch with in the past," said Schrotenboer, who hails from Holland, Michigan.

"I'm representing Michigan State there, my club, my high school, my family and friends and just representing the nation as well. It's a cool feeling to become a part of something that big and that meaningful."

Schrotenboer, one of the Midwest's top players, received a strong measure of validation for her national standing.

"Right from ninth grade, I think, we first got to watch her live with her club team Midwest United, we knew that she was one of the top defenders in her age group in the country," Michigan State head coach Tom Saxton said. "Our recruiting board that we always use to project into the future, showed that having a top-quality center back was going to be very important so we went into the process, found our relationship with her and her family to be awesome. We were lucky enough to get her to commit to us, she's a great addition to our team."

This past summer, she led her club team, Midwest United FC, to the Girls U-18/19 Academy championship. She won the Golden Ball as the postseason's best player.

She came to MSU already with collegiate honors, making the Big Ten women's soccer preseason list.

Schrotenboer was one of two freshmen to start in Michigan State's season opener against Utah Valley on Aug 22. She played 90 minutes and anchored a backline that helped MSU to a 3-1 win.

Schrotenboer remains humble about her game and skill, despite being one of the more decorated players to come to East Lansing. She said she relies on her faith and family to keep her grounded.

"I grew up in a Christian family, so it's always been super important to me. In the soccer game, it's helped me to stay humble and really just realize that everything I have has been given to me, like my talents, is something that I've worked for, for sure, but I couldn't do it without God blessing me with those talents. So I'm just always very grateful for that," said Schrotenboer.

She looks to Julie Ertz, a member of the 2019 World Cup winning U.S. team, as an example of how to be on and off the pitch.

"She's very modest, humble and always puts God first, and I think that's very cool just because a lot of times once people get there and they get to be professional they kind of bring it all about themselves. She always draws it back to where it came from and how (God) blessed her with those abilities. She's just grateful for everything she's been blessed with so I think that's very important," she said.

While they play different positions, as Ertz transitioned from center back to a defensive midfielder in 2017 for the U.S., and are different heights, with Ertz standing at 5-foot-7 and Schrotenboer at 5-10. But the two have a similar physical and quick style of play.

The dream of achieving Ertz's heights of soccer stardom remains part of Schrotenboer's future. The U-20 team call-up was just the beginning, as Schrotenboer hopes to someday reach the senior national team level – and possibly compete in the Olympics and World Cup.

"It's always a dream, that would be such a cool experience. The U-20 team is one thing - it's like a youth national team - but to be on the full women's team would just be a whole 'nother experience that I'm looking forward to hopefully accomplishing someday," she said.

The next step up from U-20 would be the U-23 team, which serves the same purpose of preparing post-collegiate players and recently drafted National Women's Soccer League players, for the full national team. However, this team is not easy to make, as it opens up the pool to all players.

"They're not necessarily picking just from certain age groups, they're taking the best of the best from the U-20 team and then the best of the best from the U-23 team," said Schrotenboer. "So, it's not just like you have to be good, you have to be the best out of the best pool of your team, so it's a really difficult thing to accomplish, but I'm hoping that someday I will be able to."

Suiting up for the women's national team is a long way away for Schrotenboer, but until then, she'll be working to become the best to wear a Spartan jersey.

"Certainly, as a freshman, she's already demonstrated one of the best all-around defensive players we've ever had in the 34-year history of the program," Saxton said. "I think it will be fun to watch how much farther she can take her game, and I think the sky's the limit for her. I'd love to see her representing the US in the full national team someday and I think that's a realistic goal for her."

That's a lot to think about for a player let alone a first-year nursing major. She faces constant pressure to be the best of the best night in and night out.

"It's always kind of there (the pressure), but my teammates just always remind me that just play my game don't worry about anything, don't worry about what the scout says, don't worry about what other people are saying, don't worry about all the hype and everything around it. Just be who I am, and play who I am, because they know as well as I do that if I try and go out there and do everything and be perfect - I'm going to end up doing worse just because my nerves are going to get to me," she said.

"If I just go out there and play and enjoy soccer, because I love it and it's something that I want to do for the rest of my life and if I just go out there with that mindset rather than 'Oh I've accomplished all these things and I have to be perfect, everybody's expecting me to be perfect,' that it's not going to happen."

Players Mentioned

Bria Schrotenboer

Related Videos