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2006
The Talented Miss Riley A Real Find For New Zealand
by Jeremy Ruane
Six months ago, no-one in New Zealand had heard of a rising women's soccer star by the name of Ali Riley. Understandably so, given she's a Pacific Palisades, California native.
But the enquiring mind of her father, Kiwi-born John Riley, a professor at UCLA, saw an email heading NZ Soccer's way, and the potential which has seen the eighteen-year-old Kiwi citizen recruited by NCAA top-twenty-ranked Stanford University was just as swiftly brought to the attention of NZ Under-20 women's coach, John Herdman, given he was plotting a World Cup qualifying campaign at the time.
“When we found out I'd have this opportunity”, reflects Ali, “we thought `Why not take it?' It's turned out to be an amazing thing to be part of - I'm loving it. The girls are great. The coaches are great. I'm learning so much and having a great time”.
And scoring a few goals, too. The wide midfielder netted literally a goal a game in Samoa, and contributed to the conversion of a few more, after catching the eye in four preparation matches in Sydney and Canberra in February.
Ali has been with Southern California United for two seasons now, helping them win the Blues Cup in the 2004-5 campaign, and the double of Slammers Cup and Surf Cup in 2005-6.
“Those are the top honours in Southern Californian club soccer”, beams the 5ft 4ins New Zealand international. “I joined SoCal from Westside Breakers, an all-girls club which covers the Santa Monica / Brentwood / Culver City area of Los Angeles.
“Prior to that I'd been in the American Youth Soccer Organisation programme for nine years. I started playing AYSO when I was four or five. Pretty much all my friends and everyone at school started out playing AYSO - it was really popular.
“All the time I was in the AYSO programme, Dad was either my coach or assistant coach - even though he's never played soccer himself, he's been possibly the biggest influence on my career so far - he pretty much got me into a sport from which I get a lot of enjoyment”.
Her SoCal team-mates, one of whom is Ali's best friend, have also proven to be a big influence on a young lady who established school time records in both the 100 and 400 metres sprints. “They're such amazing players, and I learn a lot just playing with them. Couple that with playing a sport I love has pushed me, and I think has taken me to where I am now”.
Which is on the verge of graduating with honours from Harvard Westlake High School, starting a four-year scholarship at Stanford - “getting the letter confirming that was really exciting” - and preparing to play in just the fourth World Cup Finals in which New
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 Ten Favourite Things Of
Ali Riley
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Zealand has been involved.
“To play in a World Cup would be amazing”, says one of the stars of the Under-20 Women's squad's successful campaign to qualify for Russia. “With our set-up in the States, you tend not to travel too far - you go state to state, rather than abroad.
“So apart from California, I've played in Arizona and Texas, but that's about it soccer travel-wise until the last three months, during which I've played in Australia, New Zealand and Samoa. These are just amazing opportunities, and hopefully I'll have another to look forward to in Russia later this year”.
Ali's passport boasts a few stamps from places abroad which have helped give her a well-rounded outlook on life. “My Dad's a professor, so in 1996-7 he was on sabbatical, and we lived in Hong Kong for a year.
“That's something that's had a really big impact on my life. I was only ten at the time, but I saw another part of the world, and I think I learned something about myself when I was there. Not a lot of people have done something like that, so that's pretty memorable for me”.
Another country in which Ali has done some community service work is one which most Kiwis would rarely get to visit, the Central American nation of Belize. “Last summer I went there with Mum (Bev) and Dad (John) and some members of my church. We helped paint a school, and a couple of friends and I gave soccer lessons to some of the kids.
“Just going to some of these beautiful places and seeing the poverty … I think someone as lucky as I am can help out so much by bringing whatever I have to places where kids who haven't been as lucky as I have”.
And talented. In her native California, high school sports state-wide are overseen by the California Interscholastic Federation. In the 2005-6 campaign, Ali was named in the CIF's First Team for her efforts with Harvard Westlake. What's more, she has been twice named Mission League Offensive MVP … this lass knows what she's about with a football at her feet, make no mistake.
And she knows what she's about where her soccer ambitions are concerned, too. “I want to play soccer for as long as I can. Winning the NCAA Championship with Stanford is one of my goals, so I've got four years to do that - we'll see how that goes.
“Study-wise, I want to explore a little in my first year, then hopefully figure out what I want to do. Beyond soccer, travel definitely appeals, and community service in other countries.
“But the opportunity to play in a World Cup Finals … wow!!”
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