Jasmine Elliott, a senior on the East Tennessee State University’s women’s soccer team from Preston, England has seen it all — from career stifling injuries to record-breaking feats.
However, one thing that has remained constant is her love for her family, her team and the game of soccer.
Elliott was supposed to come to ETSU as a freshman in 2012, but that was put on hold when a serious knee injury led to multiple operations and many months of rehab that didn’t go well in the beginning. She was out of playing for over a year, but was finally due to come to America in 2013, and she’s been here ever since.
“I am so grateful for my coach Adam for being so supportive and allowing me to come to ETSU a year later,” Elliott said. “This is something that I will be forever grateful for.”
Overcoming multiple injuries, the most recent being a hip injury with a recovery period led up to the start of this season, can be equally as difficult as moving to another country to play soccer.
Her family has always been supportive of her aspirations in this sport, and while they have never been able to make it across the water to watch a game, they have still never missed one.
“They either watch the live stats or they watch the live stream of our game at home,” Elliott said. “Which sometimes means that they have to stay up until 3 a.m. to see the whole game.”
(Courtesy of etsu.edu)
Not only her biological family, but her team family has been there for her through all the injuries. Elliott commented on how many players at ETSU are from international countries, and that support system, being far away from home her freshman year, really made a difference.
Elliott came to the states to pursue her soccer career, and that meant coming to ETSU. She was recruited by Head Coach Adam Sayers and credits his hospitality as well as the academic standing of ETSU as her reason for staying.
In England, Elliott played for clubs such as Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers, but among the most notable she has played with, are the national England U17 and U19 teams. Despite the fact that she is playing the same sport, the way the sport is played is different in the two countries.
“Soccer over here is a lot more physical and athletically dominating,” Elliott said. “But I really enjoy the style of play that we play as a team here at ETSU.”
She has adjusted smoothly to the American style of play, with just recently breaking the record for most career shutouts in her first game of the 2016 season. She is looking to add a SoCon championship and NCAA run to that list, and has all the faith in this team to do it.
Elliott does not just have credit here at ETSU, but also playing for the England U17 team. She played with the team in the UEFA European Championship against Belgium, making saves that allowed them into the next round of play.
“It’s always an honor to represent your country,” Elliott said.
Elliott is a Physical Education major with a concentration in Exercise Science that she hopes to take back to England after she graduates to teach high school and simultaneously further her soccer career professionally.
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