Maya Chen

I play the game two passes ahead. That's what my coaches have told me since I was 12, and it's still what I do best — read the shape of the defense, find the seam, and put the ball where my forward is about to be, not where she is now.

I've played center mid for SoCal Blues ECNL since U15. This season I finished with 7 goals and 10 assists, mostly because I finally started trusting my right foot on shots from the top of the box. My left is still better. I'm working on it.

Off the ball, I win tackles I probably shouldn't. I'm 5'7" and not the fastest player on the field, but I read passing lanes early enough that speed doesn't matter as much. My coach calls it "smart pressure." I just call it paying attention.

I want to play in college. I'm looking at programs where the midfield runs the system — possession-based teams that build from the back and trust their 8 to make decisions. I want to be coached hard by people who expect a lot.

Academically I carry a 3.7 and I'm interested in Kinesiology. I want to understand how athletes move and why. Feels like a natural fit for someone who spends every game watching how 21 other people move around a field.