Jessica Shamberg was surprised when her daughter, who was watching highlights, asked her what it would take to get to the World Cup.
“Well,” her mother said, trying not to roll her eyes, “I have to play soccer.”
Well, that seems like a good first step.
However, Leah Schanberg stopped playing sports at the age of seven, choosing to focus her athletic energy on gymnastics and dance. So it was a surprise when the question came a year later.
She was captivated by footage of the U.S. women’s national team from the 2015 tournament, and soon her interest in soccer was reignited.
Of course, for most people, competing in the World Cup is just a pipe dream. But to even create that slim chance, athletes must be dedicated to their training and put in incredible effort, explained Jessica Schaumberg.
Leah simply replied, “Okay.”
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Simply put, that response from her was meant to confirm that she understood the task and was willing to take it on.
Now she is working hard in Spain.
The New Paltz High School senior spent January away from his family and friends near Barcelona, training at a high-level soccer academy. And this was her third time visiting Europe for the sport.
“It was scary at first,” the 16-year-old said of the continent far away from her parents. She added, “But I’m going to challenge myself to continue her growth.”
Since rekindling her passion for soccer, Leah has steadily improved, becoming a key player on her high school team as a midfielder and also excelling on the club circuit. Her performance on the pitch and the connections she made earned her the opportunity to play abroad.
She previously flew to Sweden to compete in the Gothia Cup, the world’s biggest international youth soccer tournament, and also trained in Spain last winter. She plays for Force FC in the Monroe-based Women’s Premier Soccer League, where she also plays in New York.
On the academic level, Leah led a rebuilding New Paltz team to the Round 9 semifinals last fall, earning him his second Journal All-Star Award.
“This experience has made it even more clear to me that I want to play professionally and travel the world,” she said.
As her progress reached benchmarks and boxes were checked, those dreams became ambitious goals that seemed increasingly achievable.
“I’m so proud to see her achieve what she set out to achieve,” Jessica Schanberg said. “It’s hard to explain that feeling of hers when you see her on the field doing what she loves and she does it well.”
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Leah spent three and a half weeks at TOVO Academy, a Barcelona-based youth soccer organization specializing in skill development. The coaches there also emphasized the importance of team cohesion and emotional calm.
“It’s not just about skills, it’s also about cognitive development and character development,” says Leah. “One of the first things we focused on was developing trust and bonds with other players.”
Some come from as far away as New Zealand. They stayed in Sitges, a coastal town just west of Barcelona. The girls were divided into groups and assigned to houses, each supervised by a “housemother” who acted as a parent.
“I went with her for the first time in 2023, so I was able to see how TOVO Academy runs its program,” Jessica Schanberg said. “It’s not just kids with a soccer coach. It’s an organized and safe environment, so I felt safe going by myself (this time).”
Additionally, Jessica Schanberg is Puerto Rican and Leah speaks a little Spanish, so the cultural change wasn’t as noticeable.
When it came to soccer, there wasn’t much emphasis on positional roles. Leah played in center midfield as usual, but she was more involved in attack than usual, which she believes will help expand her game.
The academy also trained boys, and some practices were coeducational. By training with the boys, competing against them and sometimes outperforming them, “I became stronger and more confident,” Leah said. .
Their schedules were also tightly controlled, with two daily training sessions sandwiched in between designated times for schoolwork, eating, and sleeping. She said these habits, including strict time management, have translated well into her daily life in her hometown.
She had discussed the possibility of this trip with her career guidance counselor several months earlier, so her absence was excused and her teachers put together materials and assignments for her to complete in her absence. She credited New Paltz with being “very understanding” in accommodating her soccer travels.
TOVO was founded by former Dartmouth football player Todd Bean. He developed his coaching style under the tutelage of his father-in-law Johan Cruyff, who is a legendary Dutch player. Bean coached Lea’s group alongside longtime trainer Oscar Horquera, who has worked with European stars including Lionel Messi.
Leah’s Hudson Valley Athletic Club coaches, Alex Mennie and Scott Goodman, are trained in the TOVO methodology and pitched the idea of training in Spain to Leah’s parents two years ago. That led to her spending a week in Sitges last March for a mini-camp, which became her starting point for her month-long stay this winter.
In fact, she plans to head there again next month on a similar week-long trip, along with New Paltz teammates Marana Douglas and Sadie Roechelle (first time participants).
“I think they’ll really enjoy their time there,” Leah said. “I hope they can overcome a lot of what I did.”
Leah’s earliest memories of soccer are from the age of three, when she was introduced to the game early, partly because her father, Soren Schanberg, was a fan. After her short hiatus, she returned to soccer using the strength and agility she developed in gymnastics.
“She’s always moving around and doing what she needs to do to get the ball,” Huguenos coach Keith Walker said of Leah, who has been a starter since her freshman year. “She’s good at reading the game and predicting it.”
Leah said he started taking soccer seriously in eighth grade, believing it would get him into college and beyond.
She has already gone far. Approximately 4,000 miles.
While in Spain, she visited Barcelona for sightseeing and shopping, and the group attended an FC Barcelona Femeni soccer match. There, Leah was able to see her favorite player Aitana Bommatti up close.
“That experience was incredible,” Leah said. “Aitana and I play similar positions and are similar builds, so it gives me the feeling that it’s possible. It solidified what I wanted to do in this sport. Ta.”
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4