soccerNM .com

NM Native Graczyk Takes On The WPS

By Glen Rosales
soccerNM.com Editor

ALBUQUERQUE -- As a youngster, Kristen Graczyk terrorized the soccer fields in and around NM.

And she continues to do so now that she's with the FC Gold Pride in Women's Professional Soccer.

Her powerful shot and goal-scoring prowess landed her in the national pool as a youngster and she was a mainstay on the state's top teams.

A La Cueva graduate, Graczyk went on to play collegiately at UConn, leading the Huskies to the National Championship Game in 2003 while earning Big East Conference Offensive Player of the Year.

After returning to Albuquerque to work on a master's degree and serving as an assistant coach for the University of New Mexico women's team, Graczyk has realized a life-long dream by playing professionally.

"It's amazing," she said in a recent telephone interview from San Francisco. Playing professionally has been a dream of mine since I was little. I'm just living the dream."

Her brother Michael Graczyk, also a La Cueva grad who helped UNM reach the NCAA Championship game in 2005 as the Lobos' goaltender, also lives in the Bay Area as a member of the Major League Soccer 'keeper pool training with San Jose and doing youth coaching.

"When we talk to each other we ask what are you doing and we always say, 'Nothing. Just another day of living the dream.'"

For the 26-year-old Kristen Graczyk, however, it's just not quite in the manner she expected.

The goal-scoring dynamo is now a fullback for the Pride, preventing opposing forwards from encroaching into her area.

"It's definitely different," she said. "I've been an attacking player my entire life. But I think it's tough with all the international players that come over here to play. That's what they're known for."

Last season, in the WPSL's rebirth, Graczyk played the wing back, from where she was able to make occasional offensive runs. This season, however, it looks like she's going to play more as a middle backer, where her defensive responsibilities will be even greater.

"Really, I just want to be on the field," Graczyk said. "I'm one of those players that I don't care where I play as long as I'm on the field."

It wasn't an easy transition, she admitted, but now that she's in her second season in the backfield, she's grown accustomed to her role.

"Talk about pressure, making the switch like that while playing at the highest level," Graczyk said.

In her favor, however, has been her soccer I.Q.

"One of my strengths is seeing the field," she said. "I've always been good at communicating and organizing the field and making sure everything is going all right."

Early on Graczyk drew attention for her play, but she said being reared in New Mexico, where the soccer spotlight seldom shines, made her realize that she needed to outwork everybody else.

"Growing up in New Mesxico was good and bad for a lot of difference reasons," she said. "When I was growing up, I felt like I had to work harder because we didn't get the attention that other players got. It's so much more difficult to be seen."

That work ethic, coupled with her natural ability, helped spring her to the big time.

"I think it always helped to push me," Graczyk said. "I just always had to give extra effort."

And she hasn't forgotten her roots, working as a staff coach for the NM Nike Rush Club, doing clinics and giving private lessons.

She also likes to reach out to young players.

"With professional soccer back, it gives little girls something to dream for," Graczyk said. "When I'm back home, I try to tell the girls, 'It could happen to you. You can do it.' That's my biggest thing. I like to be a role model for the young girls and help them reach the same goals and level that I've achieved. So I'm always out there."

2009: Played in all 20 games with FC Gold Pride, starting 18, logging 1,589 minutes. She was the only Pride player to see action in every game,

2007-08: Served as an assistant women's coach at the University of New Mexico.

2005-06: Member of the U-21 U.S. National Team.

2001-04: Played at UConn, where she was twice an All-American; a Hermann Trophy semifinalist and the Big East Scholar-Athlete of the Year.