Cobras’ Trotter Provides Leadership To Younger Generation Of Players

The 2013 W-League Championship provided the opportunity for a reunion of sorts for two veterans of the U.S. Women’s National Team.

It also laid the foundation for India Trotter and former Virginia Cavalier All-America Angela Hucles to team up again. Hucles – an assistant coach for the Pali Blues and founder of the Empowerment Through Sport Leadership Series – and Trotter – who published the book ‘Finding The Right Fit’ this past June – reconnected at IMG Academy. The idea for them to work together at the upcoming ETSLS event in Los Angeles was quickly hatched.

“She presented me with the idea,” said Trotter, who returned to the field this summer with the Carolina Elite Cobras. “It was so good to see her and hear what she is doing in exposing young women to leadership.

“”It’s really nice to see former players giving back to the community in some capacity and the ETSLS really caught my attention. After sharing my book with Angela, she asked me to come on board and speak, and because of the efforts of her cause, it was very easy for me to say ‘yes’.”

An accomplished player, being part of the same squads as Hucles for the U.S. Women’s National Team on a regular basis and serving as an alternate for the 2007 World Cup and 2008 Olympic squads, Trotter returned to the playing field as a member of the Cobras this summer through some persuasion from another source.

“My cleats were long hung up, but because Blakely (Mattern) and I were such good friends and the fact that she literally convinced me to, I decided to do it,” Trotter said.

Mattern, the former USC Gamecock star who earned 2013 W-League Defender of the Year honors, and Trotter had played together previously for the Atlanta Beat in WPS in 2011, and the two both played important roles as the Cobras made a big jump forward in the club’s second season in the W-League.

Trotter, who played collegiate soccer at Florida State, knew as soon as she decided to return to action that her role with the club was going to be that of a veteran, helping the college players she was playing alongside “take on a professional mindset on and off the field”.

“This role not only helped my teammates, but myself as well,” Trotter said. “I had to take on more a responsibility in helping lead the team, rather than on other teams when I was youngest and looked to the older players for guidance.”

Trotter’s season with the Cobras wasn’t her first in the W-League, having played for the Pali Blues in the club’s inaugural season in 2008 before going on the play professionally in Europe and WPS.

Given the mix of players the league brings together, Trotter said she believes the league plays an important role in women’s soccer in North America, especially for college players looking to make the next step into the NWSL, or overseas.

“You have players from all types of backgrounds playing in the W-League and it’s a great place, especially as a young player, to enhance your game,” Trotter said. “The W-League gives you the opportunity to play against retired pros, players trying to go pro, and players you currently play against at the collegiate level.

“Since everyone has their own reasons and motivations to play, it gives the league a healthy level of competition. It’s a mixed bag of soccer players from all levels and you can’t really go wrong with that because everyone will get a little bit of something, all encompassed in one league.”

In the same way that Trotter provided leadership as the Cobras reached the W-League Championship this summer, she is hoping to provide guidance for the next generation of athletes who hope to follow in her footsteps.

That was the motivation behind writing ‘Finding The Right Fit’, which provides insight into the college recruiting process for players and parents, and being part of ETSLS.

Trotter will be a keynote speaker in Los Angeles on November 2, with a focus on helping players learn the value of being true to themselves.

“I hope I can instill in them that the best version of you is all they have to worry about,” Trotter said. “Once we really know ourselves as people and players, it really gives you the confidence to be the best version of yourself and perform to your highest level possible.”

And when a player performs at the highest level, the opportunities – as Trotter knows first-hand – can bring the type of experiences that will remain for a lifetime.

“Anytime you get to represent your country it is a huge honor,” Trotter said. “I was with the team for about five years and I got to travel to many parts of the world for a living. Because of that experience, I was able to meet fantastic people, some of whom I am still friends with and play against the best players in the world.

“Not many people get to say that and I am just extremely blessed and honored God has allowed me that opportunity in my lifetime.”