Rampone answers the call as U.S. Captain
Monday, February 25, 2008
By: Karyn Lush | Special to womensprosoccer.com
(Feb. 25, 2008) – The phone would ring. A college coach was on the line calling to speak to the best female athlete to ever hail from Ocean County, N.J. But she would scamper outside.
“Tell them I’m not here,” she would say to her dad on her way out the door as she didn’t want to be caught in a lie.
That shy, bashful teenager, who would not take college coaches’ phone calls, grew up to become the captain of the U.S. Women’s National Team.
Christie Rampone has no problem carrying on a conversation now. She’s at ease whether talking with the media, her teammates or a coach. It’s the knowledge gained during her quiet years that gives her the impetus to speak.
(Brad Smith/isiphotos.com)
Christie Rampone donned the armband for the first time as U.S. captain at the Four Nations Tournament in China in January.
Brought into the National Team in January 1997 as a project by then head coach Tony DiCicco, Rampone had just completed her collegiate career at Monmouth University where she was named the Northeast Conference Player of the Year in 1995 and 1996. Despite being a prolific scorer in college, recording 79 goals and 54 assists in 80 games, DiCicco moved the 5’6” Point Pleasant, N.J. native to the back line. She adjusted well and secured a spot off the bench on the 1999 Women’s World Cup championship team.
Throughout those early years on a team dominated by well-known veterans, Rampone barely uttered a word. It wasn’t until she earned a starting spot and added another World Cup plus two Olympics to her resume that she began to come out of her shell.
“Being quiet allowed me to observe and listen and take it all in,” Rampone said. “I’ve been here for a while, through the good and bad times, and I’ve just learned so much that now I am using my voice. I’m confident because I feel like I have been around the team for so long and I’ve got so much to offer to the younger generation.”
A member of the National Team’s leadership group since 2005, Rampone is drawing upon the lessons of those who wore the armband before her, in particular Carla Overbeck, Julie Foudy and Kristine Lilly. It’s Lilly, Rampone’s predecessor who stepped away from the National Team to have her first child, who the new captain has called upon for advice since being appointed just prior to the Four Nations Tournament in January.
“She’s like, ‘Don’t change too much. Don’t let the leadership stuff overtake enjoying the game,’” Rampone said. “I thought that was great to hear because I don’t want to have to change too much. I’ve always led more by example than by voice.”
Still she is making more frequent use of her vocal cords. Whether she is delivering on-field instructions, complimenting a teammate or leading a players’ only meeting, Rampone is being heard more.
“Now it’s changed in that when I do have an opinion, saying it moreso than holding it in and evaluating the situation,” she said. “I still like to hear things and get a grasp of the team’s thoughts and then make decisions.”
Rampone also serves as an intermediary between her teammates and Pia Sundhage, the National Team’s head coach.
“Pia is very easy to work with,” Rampone said. “Her communication is excellent, so it makes it easier to have an open communication with the team as well as Pia.”
Now when her phone rings and caller id shows it’s her coach on the line, she doesn’t have to think twice. Rampone takes the call.
Karyn Lush is a freelance writer and can be reached at karyn.wps@gmail.com. The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Women’s Professional Soccer or womensprosoccer.com.