PORTLAND, Ore. – Gabby Seiler’s name in the NWSL’s most recent Team of the Month may have surprised some onlookers around the league. After all, the University of Florida product has only enjoyed four months of professional soccer. But over the course of those four months, the Portland Thorns defender and midfielder has made a persuasive claim for a regular lineup spot. Team of the Month honors may raise her profile among Rookie of the Year voters.
Seiler’s honor would have surprised few around the Thorns, though, with the 24-year-old having already made 13 appearances and 11 starts. We caught up with her after Thursday’s training to get her thoughts on Team of the Month, her early highlights on the field, and the approach to fitting in with so many different types of players in Portland’s midfield.
ThornsFC.com: You were named to the NWSL’s July Team of the Month, today. How do you feel about that?
Seiler: (laughs) I’m happy, but I’m just happy that we’re in first place.
ThornsFC.com: (take two) I’m going to try a better question. After four months of playing professional soccer, you were recognized as one of the league’s best 11, positions considered, in a given month. What does that say to you about how you’ve progressed in your first year?
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Seiler: I just give a lot of credit to the people I get to train with every day, because even being here for four months, I think I’ve gotten a lot better. And that’s because I’m around great players, every day. They push me to be better.
Honestly, I just give credit to them for pushing me and making me better.
Thorns.com: If you had to pick out a personal high point on the field, so far, what comes to mind for you?
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Seiler: I would say, probably when we played Orlando and I hit the crossbar to give us the corner to get the game-winning goal. (Laughs.) That’s the only thing I could think of off the top of my head!
It wasn’t like I scored, but I felt like I chipped in, a little bit.
ThornsFC.com: You’ve had to share midfield with so many different players, to this point. To what degree has that been a challenge, having to consider so many different skillsets alongside you in the middle?
Seiler: Every player is so different. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. But also, everyone on this team is so good, so I’m just trying to feed off of Lindsey (Horan), or Dagny (Brynjarsdottir) or (Andressinha).
They are all so different, but they’re also so good. I just try to make their job as easy as possible, to make it easier on the field, defensively.
