Born and raised in Metuchen, New Jersey, Kristen Edmonds remembers the instant love she felt for the game of soccer at a young age after stepping foot on a field for the very first time. Despite being involved in an array of sports growing up including basketball, karate, and track and field, there was something about having a ball at her feet that captivated Kristen. It was as if everything else going on around her disappeared. A feeling difficult to describe at times, but one that fueled her desire to immerse herself in the world of soccer early on; and has remained her guiding force since. Throughout her time in college—at Rutgers University—, Kristen continued to strengthen her skills on the pitch and elevate her knowledge of the game. Although she went undrafted upon graduation, Kristen remained committed to playing at the professional level. Determined to fulfill her childhood dream, she worked day in and day out to inch closer towards that very goal. She was all in. It was in playing for the Quickstrike Lady Blues that Kristen began to move around to different positions on the pitch and elevate her IQ of the game further.
Little did she know, but these very experiences would be the ones to propel her to success in the years to come. Just two years later, Kristen signed with Stjarnan—a women's soccer team in Iceland—and officially embarked on her professional career in the sport. She had done it. She had turned her childhood dreams to reality. The rest is history! After playing overseas in Iceland and Russia, Kristen returned to the States and began her career in the NWSL. She hasn't looked back since. From playing with the Western New York Flash to the Orlando Pride to the Kansas City Current to now the NJ/NY Gotham FC, Kristen has continued to leave her mark on the pitch and foster her legacy. Beyond the game, she has also explored a series of ventures fueled by her love for animals and passion for community outreach. Through it all, there have been powerful lessons learned along the way that Kristen oftentimes ponders on as she reflects on her career thus far: the importance of embracing the journey, the power of persistence, and most importantly, the possibilities of what one can accomplish when you DARE TO DREAM!
Diving into your journey early on in college, you played at Rutgers University and had a great career there. Could you share more with us about your experiences playing collegiate soccer?
I feel like I was never the big name or the big player that everybody (knew). You know, that household name. But, I was always the person on the field that if I wasn't on it you noticed. I feel like that has stuck with me throughout my entire career—especially in college. I was very small, but I was fast and I tactically was pretty smart with the game. That helped me grow as I went through college. I went in, started as a freshman, and I just loved being on the team. I loved my teammates. I really loved the school there as well. I absolutely loved it. We went on a run and made a little bit of history there as well in the NCAA Tournament, so I'd say overall my career there was great. I had a really, really great coach. My assistant coach, Mike O'Neill, helped me grow as a player immensely. I absolutely loved playing for him, and he was kind of the one that would always be in my ear helping me with little details here and there. I absolutely loved playing soccer there.
Reflecting back on your time as a student-athlete, what were some key takeaways or lessons that you learned during your time in college that you carried with you as you began your professional career?
I learned that off the field is just as important as on it. Growing up being an athlete, I kind of got away with a lot. I thought I could kind of go into college, and being that athlete, I would get the same leeway. I quickly learned that that was not the case (*laughs*). In order for me to stay on the field, play well, and be healthy, I had to do everything I was supposed to do off of it as well—when it came to academics, nutrition, recovery, all that stuff. I was very much a college student as a freshman, so I feel like I kind of learned that work-life balance when I was there. I also learned that soccer is not the only thing. There are other things and I have to have a balance to be able to perform at my best.
As you took that next step and embarked on your professional career, how was that transition from college into the world of professional soccer like for you?
It was actually extremely difficult for me. Like I said before, I was never that big name. I was never the biggest player on the team. I didn't get drafted out of college. I went and I tried out for Sky Blue right out of college, and I didn't even get invited to camp. So my first year out of college, I wound up just getting a part-time job and grinding to try and get there. I was able to play for their affiliate team called the Quickstrike Lady Blues, which was definitely a blessing in disguise for me. I actually didn't turn pro for two years when I left school because I couldn't make a team. I just kept getting cut from everything but my coach for the Lady Blues who is literally like a big brother to me now—Jesse Kolmel—, he is the person that has turned me into the player that I am today. He's the first one to kind of move me around and put me in different positions, make me think rather than just use my athleticism, and I feel like that's a massive part of my game now; and why I can pretty much play anywhere on the field. Playing for him for two years, he also helped me grow up as a human as well. I really was able to grind when I was there and he supported me 100%. I lived in New York for a little bit, and then it wasn't until two years after I graduated, that I finally was able to turn pro. It took me going overseas first to be able to make that jump in the professional realm, and then eventually be able to come back and play in the NWSL.
Let’s dive into your journey overseas! You played in Iceland and Russia. What were those experiences like for you of embarking on your professional career and also playing overseas?
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