SANFORD, Fla. — Forward Claire Emslie has looked to the U.S. for her future in soccer since she was 10 years old.
That was when she visited America for the first time, on vacation with her family in Orlando. She had already fallen in love with the game, watching “Bend It Like Beckham” on repeat and following the career of English star Kelly Smith. She knew she wanted to play professionally.
To Emslie, the only place to pursue that dream was America, the only country at the time with a professional league for women. Over the years, her career has continued to tug her back to Florida — first to play for Florida Atlantic University and now as the newest addition to the Orlando Pride.