Reign FC Goalkeeper Michelle Betos talks Off-season travels, goalkeeping and more

We asked for your questions for our first edition of Off-season Adventures to see what some of the NWSL players have been up to this off-season.  Up first is Seattle Reign goalkeeper Michelle Betos.  Betos talked about her inaugural season in NWSL, goalkeeping tactics, traveling to Cyprus and just which Reign FC players would make the best emergency goalkeeper.

What do you think you’ve added to your game after a season in the NWSL? Anything surprise you about year one? 

After a season in the NWSL I think I gained some great game experience. Playing at the highest level against some of the world’s best players inevitably teaches you. I walked away from my first season with a better grasp of the game at this level, and the areas I want to improve in. I know that I was a better goalkeeper in August when our season ended than when our season began in March. From a personal standpoint, that’s all I could ask for.

Can you share with us favorite and/or funny Reign moments?

Throughout our season we had a lot of laughs! We were really lucky to have great teammates and staff. It was an environment where fun, as well as hard work, was truly valued. For example, dating all the way back to our first day of preseason in Japan, we voted a “donkey of the day.” It would be a majority vote on who did the silliest thing that day. Some days it would be a ridiculous comment from Larsen. Others, it would be ditzy remark from Kaylyn, or a person who couldn’t ever get out of defending in the possession circle (usually me). It was always really lighthearted and fun ritual that brought our team together.

What’s the best advice you’ve been given since going pro.

The best advice I’ve been given since playing professionally is to enjoy it – every moment of it. Playing soccer at this level comes with many stressors, particularly due to its instability over the past few years. It is easy to get caught up in the obstacles that arise, but ultimately it’s all worth it. Very few people get to do something they genuinely love for a living and I feel really blessed to be one of them.

 

Marigold goalkeeper kitchen gloves? Thumbs up? Thumbs down?

I’ve never tried them for soccer, but never say never.

What’s your favorite quote? And why?

Choosing just one quote is quite a challenge but if I have to I would say, “You have what it takes, but it will take everything you’ve got.”  I love it because it serves as both a source of confidence and inspiration. Day in and day out I am working hard to get better and someday meet my full potential in this game. There are some days where this is easy to do, and others where motivation is lacking. There are also times when I feel completely confident and like my dedication is paying off, and others when progress just seems so miniscule. It is important throughout all those circumstances that my effort does not let down and that my confidence is steadfast. This quote brings me back to that place. It reminds me that I have the ability to achieve my goals, but it will take every ounce of me, every day.
What is your type of leadership when directing the back four? Constant vocal direction, silent but by example, etc. ?

When directing my back four, I like to be very vocal. As a goalkeeper you can see things that nobody else on the field is able to. Therefore I think it’s my responsibility to read the game, assess the potential dangers, and organize the people in front of me accordingly. I want my defenders to feel confident in their positioning and in the instructions I am giving them. I try to communicate with each individual player based on their personal needs. Some players like to hear you constantly, and feel more secure when you assure them of their positioning and decision-making. Others, I try to speak to minimally, allowing them to make their own decisions, and calling out to them only when something needs to be different or there is immediate danger. Ultimately I try to communicate based on the needs of the game and on the people in front of me.  I think effective communication is vital to a good defense and it is something I am continually working on.

If we open your traveling suitcase, what would we see? What are your traveling must-haves?

Anytime I’m traveling you will find my foam rollers, journal, current book I’m reading, computer/cell phone (obviously) and tons of snacks. I’m not too anal about a lot of things, but rolling out and stretching I become pretty obsessed about. When it comes to soccer I always try to make sure I control the things I can control-making sure my body is feeling good and prepared to play is definitely one of those things. I try to constantly keep healthy snacks around so that I don’t get too hungry and eat things that aren’t good for me. I often get made fun of for smelling up the plane with my hard boiled eggs, or leaving raisin trails wherever I go, but I continue to pack them anyway.

Most students of soccer started out as a field player. How did you become a goalkeeper?

Like all little fat kids I chose to be a goalkeeper the second I found out it did not require running. I was 5 years old and joined a league with some of the boys from school. The position seemed idol to me, and I hadn’t even figured out my favorite part yet. After a few games of not really seeing a lot of action back there, I decided it would be a good idea to bring some snacks. For the rest of the season I came prepped for the game with a bag of skittles in my pockets to enjoy throughout the match.  It seemed ingenious until my glove got caught in my pocket. The other team scored and my secret stash was exposed.  I was pretty disappointed, but I moved on. Even though the skittles and lack of running originally attracted me to the position, I found some other perks that I came to truly love about being a goalkeeper.

What is your pre-game ritual?

My pre-game ritual varies according to a few factors (mostly whether we are away or home, and what time the game is). If we are away with the team, we usually have team meals, along with unit meetings and film prior to the match. When we are home, we have a little more freedom before our games to go through the day as we choose. Regardless of the circumstance I always like to get a good night’s rest and then go for a quick jog or walk when I get up, just to stretch and move a little. Depending on when we kick off I’ll usually get a nap in at some point too. I like to always spend some time journaling and thinking about what I want to do during the game. I’ll also make sure to talk to my parents before heading to the field because they are always a calming presence. In Seattle I would drive to our games with my roommates and we spent the 20 minute car ride listening to music and feeling the excitement of what’s ahead. Game day is always full of emotions so I just like to make sure I control everything I can, and get my mind right before arriving at the field.

Recently Lyon had to use a field player in goal for over twenty minutes after the keeper was sent off with a red and all subs were used. What’s some of the crazier goalkeeper situations you’ve been in and who are the top three candidates for promotion from the Reign roster should that situation come up?

The craziest goalkeeper situation I have been in that resembles your story from Lyon dates back to a State Cup game I played in when I was about 14 or 15. We were playing our in-state rivals for the championship. Every time we played this team it was a close game – ending in a one goal win for either team or a tie. However, in this particular game I received a red card 20 minutes into the first half. Subsequently a girl who had not played as a goalkeeper in quite some time ended up having to play the rest of the game in net. I had to sit in the stands and watch my team lose 7-1 in our championship game. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it.

I learned my lesson, so I don’t plan on having that happen again BUT in the event that it did my choices would be Christine Nairn, Keelin Winters, or Kristen Meier. Hope, Haley and I chose Nairn unanimously as our number 1 choice after a few pick-up basketball games we played on the road. Her hand-eye coordination was impressive, so we think she would be up for the job. Meier and Kee are good basketball players too so they would be my other votes!

What causes are you passionate about? (i.e. charities)

My favorite charity is St. Jude’s.  It’s an amazing organization that helps very sick children at no expense to their families. It is run purely on donations and has done so much good. There isn’t a St. Jude’s in Cyprus but once I get back to the US I would like to involved and volunteer at one of their hospitals.

What’s your take on ways to grow the game?

From personal experience I think the best way to grow the game is for people playing at the highest level to get involved with the youth. Growing up I always idolized all the girls on the national team, and in the WNBA. I looked at what they were doing, and knew immediately that was my dream. After going to camps, and clinics, I was lucky enough to be coached and spend time with some of these women I saw on TV.  Their words and involvement dramatically impacted me, spurring my determination to one day be where they were. As professional athletes we have the ability to create aspirations within the youth and motivate them to play the game we love.

What went into the decision to travel to Cyprus to play during the off-season?

 Last year when the WPS folded I went to New York to play for Paul Riley in the WPSL Elite. One of the investors in the New York Fury club has ties to Apollon FC, the team I played for in Cyprus. He asked Sinead Farrelly and I to go over to Cyprus and play in Champions League. We had an amazing experience, and loved playing in that tournament. It allowed us to travel all over Europe and play against some of the best teams in the world. The staff treated us great, and the girls were more than welcoming. When the opportunity for us, along with a few other NWSL players, came about again this year, we were more than excited to do it. It’s a beautiful country and we’ve loved being here.

What is the biggest lesson that you’ve learned so far? -Nutmeg Inc Staff

The biggest lesson I have learned is that there is always more you can do. You can always be better. No matter who you are or what you have accomplished, I genuinely believe that as long as you are in this game, you can be better. I have come to that conclusion based on personal experience but also by looking at my peers. Day in and day out I watch some of the greatest women to ever play this game strive to get better – to fix a small technical issue, to analyze their mental approach, to work endlessly to get just a second faster. The one thing I want to be able to say when I am done playing is that I became the best player I could be – That every day I got better, and was never satisfied.

What was it like waiting so long for the Reign’s first win?  -Nutmeg Inc Staff

Awful. Humbling. Frustrating. Every negative adjective you can think of, I’m sure our team felt it during that time. As professional athletes, we are all very competitive and also very accustomed to winning. To go through a spell like that was painful for all of us. Physically and emotionally we struggled but eventually we persevered. I’m not one for moral victories, but it is undeniable that we learned a lot during that time. Individually and collectively I know that we are better because of the lessons we gained from our losses. With saying that though, I hope I never go through another winless span like that again.

Michelle Betos is a goalkeeper currently playing for the Seattle Reign in the National Women’s Soccer League.  She made seven appearances for the Reign, starting all seven matches.  She recently went on loan to play in Cyprus for Apollon FC.

All photos courtesy of Seattle Reign FC