Youth Sports Roundtable

Amani did not treat the portal as a shortcut. Each move answered a different need in her development: proving she could play Division I at Mount St. Mary's, learning through injury at East Carolina, rebuilding her confidence at Radford and continuing to challenge herself at George Mason. Her advice is to understand your value, ask how a coach sees your role and choose the environment that can help you take the next step.

Amani believes girls should be encouraged to train with boys when the environment is safe and appropriate. Working against stronger, faster male players who competed professionally overseas gave her less time to make decisions and exposed the parts of her game that still needed work. The goal is to find competition that pushes players beyond their comfort zone and forces them to raise their standard.

Four programs meant different academic requirements, transfer-credit evaluations and a demanding schedule. Amani completed four summer classes, took six courses in the spring and carried another six in the fall while keeping a daily 6:30 p.m. homework routine. She considered leaving for professional soccer after Radford, but her parents reminded her to finish the degree first: pro will always be there.