She wasn’t thrilled about it at the time but at the age of 14 Anna Piccarelli was put in goal for her club soccer team when the starting keeper was hurt. Frustrated with the coach’s decision and annoyed with the position change she wouldn’t have guessed that it would lead her to a career as a professional women’s soccer player.
Piccarelli decided to make the best of the undesired position and her hard work paid off when she was recruited by Pepperdine in 2002.
After leading the Waves to two NCAA Sweet 16 playoff rounds in her four years here she was told by Jillian Ellis the head coach of the United States U-21 training camp that she was too short to make it as a professional goalie on the national level.
According to Science & Soccer a study of collegiate and professional soccer athletes most collegiate and professional coaches look for keepers who are 5’10” or taller because their long reach allows them to guard the goal and jump higher giving themselves more control in the goal box. Piccarelli stands a proud 5’4″ average for the typical American woman yet far below average for any competitive goalkeeper. Ellis explained that short goalkeepers are a “tactical disadvantage” against traditionally taller European teams.
Pepperdine head soccer coach Tim Ward remembered similar thoughts of Piccarelli during recruiting. Many of the collegiate coaches overlooked her because of her height. Remembering her tryout Ward explained “She’s really good at dealing with crosses but visually she doesn’t have that presence but when you see her play and see her fly she’s out of this world.”
To watch her play its obvious the 5’4″ dynamo isn’t afraid to hit or get hit. “She’s tough Ward said.
Finding disappointment in the U.S., she decided to try her luck abroad. Her father, an Italian native, suggested she start there. After a few confused and disappointing phone calls with her father’s help translating, Piccarelli ended up flying to Verona, Italy during vacation at the 2006 Men’s World Cup for a tryout with Serie A side Bardolino. Within the first hour of her tryout she was signed to the team, less than a year after graduation from Pepperdine.
In her first season with the team she lead Bardolino to win the Italian Cup after stopping three of five penalty kicks, and has since been part of three Serie A title winning seasons in her time at Bardolino. After a 3-3 tie in the 2007 UEFA Women’s Champions League with Arsenal, Piccarelli caught the attention of the Pietro Ghedin, head coach of the Italian Women’s National Team.
Winning her first career appearance with the national team, she earned her way to the starting position by the end of the season with her energy, speed, and agility.
Watching her play, it’s easy to see why she’s found success. She has one of the highest vertical jumps in the UEFA women’s league, one that has let her save and punch over power forwards like the 5’10 American Abby Wombach or Germany’s Three-Time FIFA World Player of the Year 5’9″ Brigit Prinz.
The most difficult thing Piccarelli says is the cultural difference of women’s sports. Italy is “a decent 15 years behind the U.S.” in women’s sports notoriety. Women’s soccer in Italy faces skepticism and stereotypes from the locals that underestimate the diligence and athleticism of the teams. Piccarelli and her team fight to bring notoriety and exposure to women’s athletics. According to a World Football Pages article in Canada Italian girls play with boys until around the age of 14 because there simply aren’t clubs for them to play with.
Established with her Italian team Piccarelli hopes to return to America with hopes of playing Women’s Professional Soccer.
“There isn’t any other league that plays at the same level the same speed or the same skill Piccarelli claimed.
She also hopes to return to America after her time abroad to be closer to her fiance and family here Los Angeles.
Anna Piccarelli serves as a successful role model for the American college graduate that wishes to continue playing. The most important thing, she says, is having the courage to do it.” Looking forward to the 2011 January WPS draft Piccarelli puts her heart and energy into her game and future. Roll on you Wave!