June 15th Gems - Top-level Comeback Players – Part 1

The purpose of this article is to inform players and parents that they are not alone when it comes to player injuries and to shed light on the process it takes to get back on the field.   USE THE PROMO CODE almasin30 for a discount on your first subscription   The “beautiful game," as it is called, is highlighted by artistry, grace, creativity, and emotional appeal.  Yet, the underlying issues involving key injuries are things usually kept under wraps. The process for coming back from these various injuries paints a picture of the sacrifices the players, their families, and the team had to endure.   Prior to bringing this article into the forefront, I reminisced back to my two torn ACLs as inspiration for sharing the players' stories. I remember the headache, the pain, and the challenges I had to overcome to always return to the sport I love the most.    Therefore, I can honestly say I've been there and know what it's like to go through the process of building yourself up to where you can compete again. Especially for these players who compete at the highest levels (ECNL). I was amazed to see each one of them perform at the recent ECNL Phoenix in March and was quietly cheering for them every step of the way.   I also want to give a huge thanks to the parents for signing off on their players' participation in this article. Not only are you the foundation of your player's recovery and soccer journey, but you are also doing a great service to inform players and parents of the types of injuries associated with the beautiful, yet physically demanding, sport.   As the June 15th date is rapidly sneaking up, it is essential for college coaches and scouts to get their list of top-level players on their recruiting agenda. The players are from four prominent ECNL clubs from both the NorCal and SoCal regions. The players featured are some of the best technical players in their positions for their age group as well as positive team players, who can definitely offer the same qualities in a Division I or top-level Division II program. To the scouts and coaches, these are the players who can make a difference on your team as leaders with great technical skills, a positive mindset, and a competitive nature, with the will to overcome challenges and succeed at the highest levels.   Featured Players:   1. [player_tooltip player_id='202683' first='Jayla' last='Swindle'] - 2028 - [program_tooltip program_id='283257' first='Bay' last='Area Surf'] ECNL G10 - Midfielder - #82 in the Nation, #26 in CA and #12 in position   2. [player_tooltip player_id='276651' first='Audrey' last='Wang'] - 2028 - [program_tooltip program_id='283641' first='De' last='Anza Force'] ECNL G10 - Midfielder/Defender - #118 in CA and #39 in position    3. [player_tooltip player_id='352516' first='Lillee' last='Maine'] - 2028 - [program_tooltip program_id='283476' first='Slammers' last='FC'] HB Koge ECNL G10 - Goalkeeper - #132 in CA and #11 in position   4. [player_tooltip player_id='284726' first='Ryan' last='Solorio'] - 2028 - [program_tooltip program_id='283395' first='Legends' last='FC'] ECNL G10 - Goalkeeper - #194 in CA and #24 in position   Standout Players:   1. [player_tooltip player_id='202683' first='Jayla' last='Swindle'] - 2028 - [program_tooltip program_id='283257' first='Bay' last='Area Surf'] ECNL G10 - Midfielder - #82 in the Nation, #26 in CA and #12 in position    She is an elite-level player who has impressive COPA Score metrics as well as on-the-field accolades to boot. When compared to college D1 female players, her percentile ranking for the 10-yard time was 94th at 1.57s. Other high COPA scores were in cube rating and reaction time. While at ECNL Phoenix, I was able to see two of her matches against top-level teams, where she had strong showings in her ability to remain calm under pressure. Her quick and decisive passes got her team into the attacking third. Creating scoring opportunities and excellent ball control are some of her key strengths as a player. As for her surf team, they will be one of the four top teams to represent the U.S. in the UK. Looking forward to also seeing her and her top-tier team at the national playoffs.    Jayla's Highlights - U15/U16 [program_tooltip program_id='283257' first='Bay' last='Area Surf'] ECNL Highlights   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIWBOZerTts </div></figure>   2. [player_tooltip player_id='276651' first='Audrey' last='Wang'] - 2028 - [program_tooltip program_id='283641' first='De' last='Anza Force'] ECNL G10 - Midfielder/Defender - #118 in CA and #39 in position    She's a top-tier two-way midfielder who can get it done on both ends of the pitch. I've evaluated her in at least 5 other ECNL matches. At each match, she was always a key component in the Force attack. At times, she seemed to move the ball effortlessly, pairing with another midfielder or runners in the channels. At the Phoenix Showcase, Audrey looked strong with her comeback tourney and helped her team to a 1-1-1 showing. Just recently, she was invited to the US Soccer ID Center in Bakersfield, CA, for 2010G players. It was great to see Audrey back on the pitch, and it will be awesome to see if the De Anza captain and her team get into playoff contentions now that she is back and stronger than ever.    Audrey's Highlights - 2026 SUSA Girls Showcase | [program_tooltip program_id='283641' first='De' last='Anza Force'] 10G ECNL   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwOz-chKouY </div></figure>   3. [player_tooltip player_id='352516' first='Lillee' last='Maine'] - 2028 - [program_tooltip program_id='283476' first='Slammers' last='FC'] HB Koge ECNL G10 - Goalkeeper - #132 in CA and #11 in position    The Oaks Christian standout is known for her sliding and aerial saves. Lillee played a pivotal role in her high school team's run to the CIF-Southern Section Open Division semifinals. She's a high-intensity player with the athletic ability to make most stops. During the 2025-2026 season, she had a stellar 0.678 Goals Against Average (GAA). Seeing her first hand at ECNL Phoenix, I was able to easily assess her strengths as she and her team posted two shutout matches against some of the best teams in the nation. Lillee's command of the defense was felt as she yelled out instructions to position players in the right spots to slow down the high-scoring MVLA attack. Hoping to see her and this stacked Koge team at the national playoffs and see how far they can go.    Lillee's Highlights - Southwest Conference Highlights 2025   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do6iplNY7iU </div></figure>   4. [player_tooltip player_id='284726' first='Ryan' last='Solorio'] - 2028 - [program_tooltip program_id='283395' first='Legends' last='FC'] ECNL G10 - Goalkeeper - #194 in CA and #24 in position    She recently attended the Eric Bell Soccer Academy at TCU and the Kronis Academy ID camp prior. Ry recently played up with the '09 team for the first half of the ECNL season while coming back from back-to-back knee surgeries. She is a player to watch as she is getting back to form and will be attending more camps and showcases in the next few months. One of the things I've noticed at ECNL Phoenix is that she is a good size and has the ability to make all the tough saves while playing the ball at her feet. I really liked how she communicated with her defense and made some critical stops against quality offenses. Ry is a top-level goalkeeper who will try to get her team to the national playoffs. With a 10-5-2 overall record, the most critical stretch of the spring ECNL season is underway, and it will be interesting to see if they can make it to Seattle.    Ry's Highlights - Oregon ID Camp   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DVXGAj-j1dM/ </div></figure>   Questions and Player Responses:   Jayla's Q/A's   1. What are three of your strengths as a soccer player?    “Technical skills, high IQ, and just facilitating for my teammates with quality passing.”    2. When did you and your parents decide that you would want to be a collegiate soccer player?    “From an early age that has always been a goal of mine, I hope to play college soccer and beyond.”   3. What are some of the things you are currently doing to prepare for your college soccer journey? (Club, training, education, etc.)    “On top of club training, I do speed/strength training at least 1-2 times a week. I also try to get a few extra training sessions in each week as much as possible each week to help develop into the best player I can possibly be. School is also very important as I strive to get the best grades possible to be able to have many options at the next level.”   4. What has been your most memorable soccer moment or moments as a soccer player thus far?    “ECNL playoffs last season because our team was able to make a deep run into the playoffs and advance to the ECNL Finals in Richmond, where we played to 1-1 draw in the National Semifinals but unfortunately lost on penalty kicks.”   5. Is there a club, collegiate, or professional soccer player who inspires you?   “Iniesta is a player that comes to mind that inspires me very much by the way he played the game.”   6. Where do you see yourself or hope to be in your soccer journey in 5–6 years?    “I hope to be wrapping up a successful collegiate soccer career and pursuing professional soccer opportunities.”    Questions on injury   1. What was the extent of your injury? Share only the things you are comfortable with.    “I suffered an Avulsion fracture in my left ankle during the high school soccer season.”    2. What was the timeline given for your return to soccer?    “Well, my orthopedic doctor gave a timeline of 10-12 weeks initially.”   3. Who were some of the people who helped you during your injury rehabilitation?   “I began going to my sports physical therapist in the third week after my injury and attacked rehab pretty aggressively as I had a goal to return for the Spring Phoenix ECNL College Showcase as this is a pivotal time for 2028 recruits. Dr. Trent with Bridge the Gap Physical Therapy helped a ton, then also my Dad and I worked out a lot in the gym through my injury rehab and then eventually with ball work as my rehab progressed. Then, lastly our amazing trainer Janet Cortes at [program_tooltip program_id='283257' first='Bay' last='Area Surf'] was very helpful in aiding my return to training and guiding my return to play.”   4. When did you feel that you were ready to get back on the pitch?    “Well, I knew I was ready when my sports physical therapist gave me the green light and cleared me to return to action. I was able to return to action just 8 weeks after my injury and played in the ECNL Showcase just 9 weeks post injury.”    5. What was it like to get back on the field and play in your first match?    “It was very exciting to be back on the field again and I was just very grateful to be playing the game I love again. It was definitely a sense of relief to return to play and feel good coming out of that first game. This injury really gave me a new perspective and helped me realize just how much this sport means to me.”   Audrey's Q/A's   1. What are three of your strengths as a soccer player?   “I am extremely competitive, I have strong technical skills, and I am always looking to improve my game.   2. When did you and your parents decide that you would want to be a collegiate soccer player?   “Around 8th grade”    4. What has been your most memorable soccer moment or moments as a soccer player thus far?   “Traveling to Spain to play at Real Madrid and Valencia FC with soccer.com last summer and flying to Taiwan to try out for the Youth National Team. I also love all of the travel I do with my teammates to showcase events.   5. Is there a club, collegiate, or professional soccer player who inspires you?   “Yui Hasegawa”   Questions on injury   1. What was the extent of your injury?  Share only the things you are comfortable with. “I broke my tibia and fibula playing in a league game in September 2025. I had to have surgery to permanently place a titanium rod down my tibia. My surgeon, Akira Yamamoto, was awesome and squeezed me into his busy schedule so that I could get my surgery within 3 days.” 2. What was the timeline given for your return to soccer? “4-6 months for competitive games”   3. Who were some of the people who helped you during your injury rehabilitation? My parents, siblings, teammates and friends, physical therapist - Andrew Alcid, coaches - Lloyd Grist, Paul Bravo, Yuta Yanaka, Ricardo Marta. They all played important roles in my recovery.   4. When did you feel that you were ready to get back on the pitch? After about 2 months, I felt ready to start field training again. By around 4 months, I felt ready to start playing more competitively. After 5 months, I pretty much felt 100%.   5. What was it like to get back on the field and play in your first match? Playing my first match was super exciting. It felt amazing to be competing again. The time off definitely gave me a deeper appreciation for the game.   Lillee's Q/A's   1.  What are three of your strengths as a soccer player?    “My three strengths as a soccer player are: my speed off my line/reaction time, my communication and I use both feet equally well. I also think I am a good teammate, at least I try to be.”   2.  When did you and your parents decide that you would want to be a collegiate soccer player?    “I think I always knew but I was a little late really deciding. I think soccer is so fun and I never want to lose that. It's a big decision to play collegiate sports and my parents have made me think it through. I'd say a year ago I became sure that was a goal of mine.”   3.  What are some of the things you are currently doing to prepare for your college soccer journey? (Club, training, education, etc.)    “Well, as a goalie, things are different. My position is very technical so a lot of time I spend on footwork, positioning, and ball distribution. I do private training with my goalkeeper coach once a week and then I have goalkeeper training with my club once a week and then I do strength and conditioning once a week outside of my regular practices. I do take a day off for recovery and I usually go surfing. I feel like that is also part of my training because it helps me stay balanced.. I am fortunate to go to a high school that allows me to take a few classes online. This helps me be able to have time to get to my team practice (sometimes 2 hours away) or to stay on top of my schoolwork and studies.”   4.  What has been your most memorable soccer moment or moments as a soccer player thus far?    “I think one of my most memorable soccer moments thus far was our playoff game against Palace Verdes high school in the CIF open division playoffs this year. It was by far the craziest game I had played since my accident. It was pretty intimidating going against a squad of I think all seniors who all were ECNL players. I ended up having a lot of good saves and felt like I was ‘back'. It gave me a lot of confidence for the next few games we played too. Actually, I suppose probably this year's Open Division CIF playoffs in general is my most memorable. I did really well, had a lot of fun and was really proud of my team. We lost all but 2 or our seniors to injury a few weeks prior and still did really well. It was great.”   5.  Is there a club, collegiate, or professional soccer player who inspires you?     “Honestly, I don't watch a lot of soccer. My biggest inspirations are my soccer sisters that have gone on to play in college. It's so great when we get together to train when they come home from school.”   6.  Where do you see yourself or hope to be in your soccer journey in 5–6 years?    I hope to be a team leader on my collegiate team and still loving soccer.   Questions on injury   1. What was the extent of your injury?  Share only the things you are comfortable with.    “On December 13th we played in a preseason tournament called Best of the West. It was a night game against Newport Harbor. My defender was shielding the ball for me to pick it up when I noticed the striker making a move to get there first. It forced me to dive on the ball and the striker accidentally kicked me in my mouth. My lip basically was split and torn very deeply in 3 places and I had to get 16 stitches total. I also sustained whiplash and a mild concussion. I don't remember a lot but it has caused me a little anxiety coming back in some ways.”   2. What was the timeline given for your return to soccer?    “Well- the stitches healed in about 3 weeks but the whiplash and concussion lasted a bit longer. The timeline wasn't set in stone. My parents, coaches and school were very strict about my return being only when and if I was ready. I missed almost all of the league season. I did not play again for almost 8 weeks- just in time for the playoffs.”   3. Who were some of the people who helped you during your injury rehabilitation?    “I am very blessed to come from a medical family and have a lot of good friends, medical professionals and coaches in my corner. In the hospital my mom was FaceTiming some friends of hers  that are nurse practitioners, one in a plastic surgeon's office. Some of the tear was down through my lower lip into my skin. I guess that was a big deal so tried getting as many opinions as we could before the stitches were started. I felt very grateful from the start I would be ok. We also have a great staff at my high school of trainers, a MD and registered physical therapist who made me check in daily. I also saw a physical therapist who specializes in concussions. He was the one who actually diagnosed the whiplash as what was giving me concussion symptoms. Once he started the whiplash therapy I improved quickly. That was a big relief for all of us. Nobody wants a concussion- especially goalies.”   4. When did you feel that you were ready to get back on the pitch?   “I was getting frustrated not being able to play but my parents kept telling me it was ok to wait. Sabby and Barra (my HS coaches) had to recruit random athletes from the school to fill in for me at goalie. We had a softball player and a volleyball player stand in while I was out. They did such a great job and I was very grateful but I knew my team needed me back if we were to make the playoffs. I really wanted to play the teams that beat us in league so that was my inspiration. One day I just decided it was time to just do it.”   5. What was it like to get back on the field and play in your first match?   “Luckily my first match back was against a team where I did not see a lot of action. But the second game was a lot more nerve racking. My mom helped me visualize being successful in challenges but also told me to only do what I felt comfortable with and have fun. I don't really ever remember much of any game but I do remember feeling very nervous but then just playing. It felt good to be back. High school is a lot different than club though… My first few games back with ECNL have been a challenge in many ways. I joined a new team at the high school break so getting to know my new teammates, along with navigating my mental load and how I like to play (aggressively) has been harder than I expected. The standard is high so I like knowing what the goal is. I am working on just keeping it simple to improve at each outing and feel like I have done that much. I am proud of myself so far and plan on continuing to grow.”   Ry's Q/A's    1.  What are three of your strengths as a soccer player?   “I am a very coachable soccer player who is extremely hard working and very resilient.”   2.  When did you and your parents decide that you would want to be a collegiate soccer player?   “I decided that I wanted to be a collegiate soccer player after a USC camp 4 years ago. My plan was to skip college and try to play in Europe when I was old enough. I saw the facilities at USC and what college sports has to offer, since then my goal has been to play soccer in college.”   3.  What are some of the things you are currently doing to prepare for your college soccer journey? (Club, training, education, etc.)    “I make sure I keep up with my grades and school work. I attend a home school charter and attend Prospect Soccer Academy in Lake Forest which allows me to train during the day all week and complete my school work. I work with a Strength coach, a goal Keeper coach 2 times a week and do recovery work weekly. This is in addition to my practices 3 days a week.”   4.  What has been your most memorable soccer moment or moments as a soccer player thus far?   “My most memorable experience would be playing in the Gothia Cup in Sweden three years ago and winning the Chivas tournament in Guadalajara with my Legends team last year.”   5.  Is there a club, collegiate, or professional soccer player who inspires you?   “Hope Solo inspires me, she is a fierce goalkeeper who worked hard to achieve her dreams came back to playing after years off.”   6.  Where do you see yourself or hope to be in your soccer journey in 5–6 years?   “In 5-6 years I hope to be at the end of my collegiate soccer career, planning for a professional career in soccer.”   Questions on injury   1.  What was the extent of your injury?  Share only the things you are comfortable with.   “In 2023 during training I had a 1v1 contact that dislocated my left knee cap. It was popped back in and recovered in 8 weeks to playing in Sweden. When I came back home during a game I punted a ball and it dislocated again. I was forced to have MPFL surgery. In 2024, after a 7 month recovery I came back for the Phoenix showcase. The second game back in the last minute of the game I got kicked in the right knee and that knee cap dislocated, it was popped back in on the field by my dad and I needed to have MPFL surgery on that knee a month later.”   2. What was the timeline given for your return to soccer?   “My first surgery was a 7 month recovery before I was able to get back on the field, the second surgery I took a little longer to ensure it was fully recovered and took 8 months before I was back.    This season will be my first full season since the 2021-2022 season.”   3. Who were some of the people who helped you during your injury rehabilitation?   “My family was so big in my rehabilitation. My private coaches Geo Hernandez, Bethany Haynes, my soccer academy coaches Rob Kiernan and Harry Forrester and Coach Lauren Leslie “Coach Fly” helped me with her mentorship throughout my injury through her program at Mind Game Athletes. My rehab team at Repair Sports and AMP Sports Med was amazing. I was going to physical therapy 3 days a week.    Each of these people kept me positive and encouraged me to get back, I never had any doubt in my mind that I wouldn't be back playing.”   4. When did you feel that you were ready to get back on the pitch?   “Mentally I was ready to get back right away, my parents had to make sure I wasn't pushing too hard too fast. I think by month 6 I felt good but I know that I needed the cadaver ligaments to fully heal so I listen to my Doctor and PT.”   5. What was it like to get back on the field and play in your first match?   “It was exciting, frustrating and nerve wracking at the same time. It was exciting coming back because it was the first game I would play with my new team. The reason why it was nerve wracking was because I was coming back from an injury to a new team and I felt a lot of pressure to prove myself and frustrating because I knew it would take me a bit of time before I got back to performing at my pre-injury level.”

The purpose of this article is to inform players and parents that they are not alone when it comes to player injuries and to shed light on the process it takes to get back on the field.