Allan relishes rare soccer experience
A chance to try out for a professional women’s soccer team in Portugal was an opportunity Beatrice Allan couldn’t pass up.
The Niagara International Football Club centre back and clubmate Ella Hurrle will be travelling to Lisbon, Portugal, to showcase their talent with professional women’s soccer team Atletico Clube de Portugal. Atletico won promotion last year and now plays in the Portuguese Women’s Liga BPI league.
“It is a very rare experience and not many players from the Niagara region and smaller towns get to experience it,” the Grade 12 at Sir Winston Churchill said. “As soon as we were offered the adventure, we took it and haven’t looked back.
Allan and Hurrle were supposed to go last year but the COVID-19 pandemic cancelled those plans. Allan, who left Thursday, is not worried about the pandemic thwarting her plans in 2021.
“We are taking all the precautions that are in place and we are obviously double-vaxxed,” the 5-foot-9 player said. “We have a test on the Tuesday before we go to make sure we are negative. We are all set and we will be safe.”
She is looking forward to the trip.
“I’m excited to experience the culture because I know it is going to be a different atmosphere than it is here. It is going to be way more professional and it will be cool to see that side of soccer that we don’t get to experience here.”
She will be interested to see how her skills stack up against the pros in Portugal.
“I am not sure what to expect and we will see how it goes.”
Whatever happens, it will be a boost to her soccer career.
“This is a great experience and it will be a good stepping stone to playing soccer at a school after high school.”
There is a possibility she might even be offered a pro contract to play in Portugal.
“If the opportunity presents itself, it will be really cool to consider. I guess we will see when we get there.”
Allan and Hurrle came to the attention of Atletico Clube de Portugal through video sent by Niagara International.
“Our club uses artificial intelligence camera technology to video all the games and we send that out to pro coaches, college coaches and other contacts,” said head coach and Niagara International president André Pacheco. “Previously I used to work as a FIFA-licensed agent so I still have a lot of contacts in the game with professional clubs.”
The club is paying all the expenses for Allan and Hurrle and the talented pair will be training with Atletico Clube de Portugal’s main team.
Allan is in her third year with Niagara International.
“She is a solid defender. She is very smart, calm, cool and collected and composed on the ball when she plays defence,” Pacheco said. “She doesn’t buckle under pressure, she is fast, she communicates well with her team and that is one of the main strengths that the team in Portugal liked about her.”
Allan believes she has made a lot of strides in her game over the past few years.
“I am definitely much more comfortable controlling the backline and the field because I am the last man back there. It is very important that I am calm and I’m composed.”
She admits her body type is not typically found at the centre back position.
“I don’t look very strong, I know, but I am very quick. I have the long legs, I am able to get back and I can hold my ground, for sure.”
She played multiple sports growing up but soccer is her true passion.
“I keep coming back to the sport because I love it. It’s that feeling you get when you are playing and you know that you did well. And it’s great when your team works together.”
