As one of the twelve new players Reign FC brought in this offseason, TheBold wanted to get to know Jasmyne Spencer as a player and as a person. We had the opportunity to sit down with Jasmyne and talk with her about her story and the upcoming season.
Can you tell us a little bit about your story and how you ended up in Seattle?
Jasmyne: I’m originally from Long Island, New York. I grew up playing club soccer there and eventually ended up going to the University of Maryland to play soccer. I got drafted by the WPS [the professional women’s soccer league prior to the NWSL] before my senior season, but the league folded before I could start playing. I was left in an awkward transition time, so I had some decisions to make. I tried to enroll back in school, but I had missed the deadline for that semester. That gave me the opportunity to study abroad in Denmark in 2012. While I was there I trialed on a bunch of teams, eventually winding up playing for Brondby with Theresa Nielsen. When the NWSL started in 2013, I saw that as an opportunity to come back home and play. I played my rookie season with the Washington Spirit, then moved to the WNY Flash for two seasons. After that I went to Orlando for two seasons and now I’m here! I couldn’t be more excited to be in Seattle and with the club.
With your experience, you’ve certainly seen the growth of the league. As the NWSL enters its 6th season as a league, what have you seen change the most?
Jasmyne: The quality of play has improved since the first season. That first year was very youthful. There weren’t many seasoned veterans in the league yet, so the players were either fresh out of college or were on an international team. We didn’t really have the veterans around to help blend the teams together. It’s great to see so many players come back to the states from overseas to invest their careers in the league. That has helped grow the quality of play in the league a lot. On the flip side, having teams who provide the resources to help improve the women’s game will only keep the league moving forward.
Let’s talk now about you as a player. Can you tell us about your style of play and how you fit in the squad?
Jasmyne: When coming into a situation where the squad is so new and there’s so many new pieces, it’s tough to see how you fit in right off the bat. It’s a different situation than when a team makes one trade and has an established squad. In those situations, it’s easy to see how you fit in and to see what role you fill. Coming here, I’m more focused on learning our style of play and bringing what I do best to that style. We want to play a great brand of soccer here but we also want to be an intense and hardworking team. I think I fulfill those characteristics and that the way I play fits into that. I think of myself as a dynamic and exciting player. Even though I’m a forward, I’m committed to chasing down the ball both on the offensive and defensive side of things. There’s so many talented individuals on this roster, and that only pushes me to want to be my best to help the team. I’m learning a lot from Vlatko and the coaching staff. I’m so excited to see how the pieces come together.
Have you ever played with Vlatko before? What have you learned so far from him?
Jasmyne: I’ve never played with him, but he was always a tough coach to play against. Obviously, I’ve had friends who have played with him and they’ve told me how great a coach he is. He has a deep understanding of the game and creates a successful training environment. Just in the few weeks that I’ve been here I can see how intense he is and how much he wants to win. He holds all his players to such a high standard. That only makes me want to work harder to become a better player.
What’re your goals for this season?
Jasmyne: Individually, I want to continue to grow as a player. I want to be in that conversation for Best XI at the end of the season. I want to be recognized across the league as a great player. I think this is the perfect environment for me to grow because of all the great players on this roster. I know that I’m going to grow because of the environment Vlatko has created. Also, I’m here to win with the team. Last year was my fifth season in the league and my first season making the playoffs. I don’t just want to make it, I want to be there at the end of the season lifting the trophy. I don’t want to settle for anything less than that.
What about off the pitch? What’re you interested in? What’re you passionate about?
Jasmyne: I started a business a little over a year ago and it has two parts to it. I teach youth clinics up and down the East Coast. It gives girls the opportunity to come out and train in a professional environment. All my staff are current or ex-professional players. I think it’s so important to give the next generation an equal opportunity to live their dreams and become what they want to be.
On the flip side of that, I make headbands! I probably own over a hundred headbands, so I started thinking, “I should probably start making my own”! My sister-in-law is the one who is the brains behind the operation and she gave me the idea. It’s going well so far and I see it as a little piece of me that I get to share with the world. I’m trying to get a few of my teammates in them for this season! It’s a lot of fun and it allows the creative side of me to come out. I’ve never seen myself as a fashionista or anything like that, but I’ve always seen fashion as the simplest form of expression for a person, and accessories are a part of that.
Finally, in one sentence or less: Why do you do what you do?
Jasmyne: Nothing gives me as much joy as playing soccer and I will do it for as long as I can.
