Katie Bowen

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Katie Bowen

Kansas City Here I Come!

by Jeremy Ruane

Katie Bowen's favourite song of the moment is so old, her father was barely born when it was written!

But "Kansas City", the 1950s hit which has been performed by, among others, The Beatles and Fats Domino, now has special meaning for the former Lynfield College student, after she was recruited by two-time National Women's Soccer League champions FC Kansas City in the 2016 college draft.

The communications major at the University of North Carolina was the title-holders' number one selection in the annual recruitment programme which allows each club in the NWSL the chance to cherry-pick the leading US college performers they want to add to their playing roster for the coming season.

"It's still unreal", she said, over a week after the draft took place. "As a five-year-old, I'd set my sights on playing for Manchester United. Now I'm going to be a professional footballer - how cool is that?!"

It's certainly quite a step up from her initial ambition. That Bowen will fulfil her life-long goal at the age of 21 owes much to the solid grounding she has had in her chosen sport, primarily from the various teams and coaches she has played for in New Zealand, but most recently as part of the women's soccer programme to which all other US colleges aspire.

"Being a Tar Heel is one of the greatest accolades you can have on your footballing CV", beams Katie. "Some of the all-time-greats of the game - Mia Hamm and Kristine Lilly, for instance - are UNC graduates.

"The college has won 22 NCAA Championships, out of a possible 35. I'm so proud to be one of the players to have helped bring one of those titles to Chapel Hill, our most recent success which took place in my freshman year, 2012".

Coaches Anson Dorrance and Bill Palladino have played a significant role in Bowen's development, both on and off the park. "I'm very grateful to all my coaches, but particularly to Anson and Dino, who've helped me grow not only as a footballer, but as a person.

"I've far greater confidence now than when I first arrived at UNC, and football-wise, I'm much more versatile - I'm now adept in any position across the backline, as well as in a defensive midfield role", declares a player who made 86 appearances in her four years at North Carolina.

That versatility was a notable factor in Kansas City making Bowen their number one draft pick, and when she clocks in at the Swope Soccer Village in Missouri's capital later this year, she'll find herself in good company.

"They have a few former Tar Heels on their books whom I know and have played alongside at North Carolina, as well as four members of the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup-winning USA squad and a number of other US internationals.

"Another factor in my favour may have been my international experience. Even though I'm 21, I've already played in two FIFA Women's World Cup Finals tournaments and two FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Finals, captaining New Zealand in the 2014 tournament".

Bowen is hoping to add another noteworthy event

to her growing CV before the year is out, as a member of the Football Ferns squad which contests the 2016 Olympic Women's Football Tournament.

"We have to qualify first, of course, but I'm confident we'll progress past Papua New Guinea and be one of the twelve teams lining up in August in Rio, where we're hopeful of doing well and realising our ambitions.

"It's certainly great being back in the national team environment", Bowen says during a break from the squad's pre-PNG camp. "It's very much like a large family, and when we gather together from all parts of the globe every so often, it's fun catching up with everyone and finding out what they've been up to".

The focus is very much on football once in camp, however, although that hasn't been the case too often for our intrepid scholar over the last couple of years. "It's been quite a challenge juggling my football commitments and my studies.

"For instance, after the Cyprus Cup in 2014, I made myself unavailable for the Football Ferns for the rest of the year in order to concentrate on my papers. I missed the Brazil tour late last year for the same reason.

"And when you're on the road during the three months of the NCAA season, you're studying in between games. In some ways, you're giving back to the coaches who are doing their bit to improve you personally. Short-term pain for long-term gain, if you like".

Bowen has just one semester left in her time at UNC before graduating in May, after which she'll be straight into life as a professional footballer at Kansas City. And there's one fixture in particular she's looking forward to already.

"Abby Erceg has just signed for Western New York Flash, after playing two seasons in the NWSL with the Chicago Red Stars. It'll be great to have two Kiwis in direct opposition in the competition for the first time ever.

"With Kansas City winning, of course!"

Rio 2016