After earning Under-13 Girls All-Tournament Team and Golden Glove honors for her performances in the 2015 Super Y League North American Finals, Long Island Rough Riders goalkeeper Stephanie Sparkowski has continued to shine in 2016.

Sparkowski, who played for the Rough Riders during the 2016 SYL regular season, was named to the 2016 SYL National Player Pool after impressing at the Regional Scouting Series.

On Nov. 5, the Rough Riders netminder was one of two goalkeepers called into the U.S. Under-14 Girls' National Team to participate in the U.S. Youth Soccer ODP Girls' Thanksgiving Interregional tournament. Sparkowski and the U.S. U-14 team will play four matches in six days, starting on Sunday against Region IV in Sunrise, Florida. They will then play Region III on Nov. 21, Region II on Nov. 23 and Region I on Nov. 25. For more information about the U-14 camp, visit ussoccer.com.

The Player Pool Spotlights serve to highlight players from the 2016 SYL National Player Pool (NPP). Players who excel during the Regional Scouting Series events are selected by the SYL and college coaches. A total of 195 players, including 99 girls and 96 boys, make up the 2016 NPP. Players named have the opportunity to be chosen to take part in the 2017 USL Experience at San Antonio. The USL Experience, a multi-day residential experience following a professional training format, provides an unprecedented look into professional American soccer and will offer SYL players the opportunity to compete against high-level youth competition. Invitations to the 2017 USL Experience are set to be revealed in January.

Q&A: Stephanie Sparkowski

Long Island Rough Riders Goalkeeper

SYL: What is your pregame routine for games and tournaments?

SS: Before games or tournaments, I make sure I eat a good meal the night before and a good breakfast the day of but not too much because I don’t want it sitting in my stomach. Also, I make sure I’ve been drinking a lot of water days before and up until the game. The night before I visualize game scenarios to help me start preparing. When it starts getting closer to game time I make sure I’m loose and I’ve stretched and then by that time it should be time to start my warmup and I’m ready to play.

SYL: Is there a specific player you base your game off of when you play?

SS: I have based my game off Hope Solo. She is technically sound, she controls her defense all the time and she owns her box. These are all things that I continuously try to work at and become closer to playing like her.

SYL: What are your personal goals and what are your team goals?

SS: Some of my personal goals are to keep getting called back into national team camp and, hopefully, one day make it to the senior team, play professional soccer after I get out of college and while I’m in college, to play division I while majoring in veterinary medicine or animal science. My team goals are to become a strong, well-rounded competitive team and to win a national championship.

SYL: Do you have any favorite memories during your Super Y League season, Regional Scouting Series, etc.?

SS: My favorite memory from a Super Y League experience is last year when my team made it to Florida and when we made it all the way to the finals and won the championship after losing in the semifinals the year before. I will always remember that.

SYL: Has there been anyone that has been influential in your development as a player leading up to this point?

SS: Ever since I was little, I have looked up to my brother. He is three years older than me, and he also plays soccer. I always wanted to do anything he was doing. Once I started getting older, all I wanted to do was beat him. I would have to say that he was a huge influence in my development because when I was younger, I wanted to keep getting better so I could beat him. Now, I have the mentality to keep getting better at everything I do. I still look up to him today, and I still want to beat him in anything we do. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to help me get where I am today.

SYL: You mentioned you wanted to play in college. What are your goals there, and have any schools stood out to you to try to pursue?

SS: My goal is to play division I soccer one day. Some colleges that have stood out to me are the University of Tennessee, Penn State, Ohio State and the University of Florida. All these colleges have a major in animal science or veterinary medicine, which is what I want to study, and they have wonderful soccer programs that I hope to one day be a part of.