The Oracle: How do you feel about placing first in Central Coast Section (CCS) for cross country and now being on a national soccer team?
Sarah Robinson: I feel good that my hard work has started to pay off, and I love that I can do both sports. I think they balance each other out well.
TO: Can you elaborate on the process of being recruited to the Under-17 team?
SR: Basically, there is the full women national team, and then, there are youth teams. I am playing [an age] up on the U-17 national team, and we are trying to qualify for the World Cup, which is next year in September. The tournament lasts for about a month. We currently play games against other countries and are brought into camps every month or every other month. The camps last between a week and two weeks, it depends.
TO: Is it hard to balance schoolwork now that you are on the U-17 team?
SR: It is hard to balance both my schoolwork and my sports because I am constantly away. It is hard to keep current with what is going on in my classes.
TO: Who would you consider your biggest supporters/fans?
SR: I think my biggest supporters would be my family and my coaches. They are the people who see me work hard and see my improvements. They are a big reason why I have accomplished what I have done.
TO: How do you feel about committing to Stanford for soccer?
SR: I verbally committed to Stanford to play soccer and attend school there when I graduate from Gunn. I have always wanted to go to Stanford since I was little, so I am extremely excited and happy. Everybody has been very supportive and nice about this.
TO: How is traveling with the Under-17 team going to affect your performance at school?
SR: Traveling with the Under-17 National Team is hard on my school work, but it is worth it. It does affect my school work because when I come back, not only do I have to catch up, but I have to learn what the class is currently learning. That makes it very difficult.
TO: Do you feel that you have to sacrifice anything out of school or your social life in order to be on the team?
SR: I would not call it a sacrifice because I love playing at a really high level. But the result of me constantly traveling and having sports every day is that I have less free time. I try to be efficient with my school work, so I can learn the material well and get all my assignments done.
—Compiled by Misheel Enkhbat
