Benjamin Burdett - Julie Ertz

Published in 2019 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2019 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

First Edition

Editor: Elizabeth Krajnik

Book Design: Michael Flynn

Photo Credits: Cover (Ertz), p. 1 Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images; cover (stadium background) winui/Shutterstock.com; cover (player glow) Nejron Photo/Shutterstock.com; pp. 3, 23, 24 (background) Narong Jongsirikul/Shutterstock.com; pp. 4, 68, 10, 12, 14, 16, 1820, 22 (ball background) DRN Studio/ Shutterstock.com; p. 5 Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Bongarts/Getty Images; p. 6 Alex Menendez/AP Images; p. 7 Joe Petro/Icon Sportswire/AP Images; p. 8 JRyder1/Shutterstock.com; p. 9 Bill Janscha/AP Images; p. 10 Renan Teuman/Shutterstock.com; p. 11 Chris Graythen/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images; p. 13 Daiju Kitamura/AFLO SPORT/Alamy; p. 15 Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images; p. 17 Tony Quinn/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images; p. 18 Mike Hewitt/FIFA/Getty Images; p. 19 Maddie Meyer/FIFA/Getty Images; p. 21 Celso Junior/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images; p. 22 Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images Sport/ Getty Images.

Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Burdett, Benjamin.

Title: Julie Ertz / Benjamin Burdett.

Description: New York : PowerKids Press, 2019. | Series: Soccer stars | Includes glossary and index.

Identifiers: ISBN 9781538345047 (pbk.) | ISBN 9781538343494 (library bound) | ISBN 9781538345054 (6 pack)

Subjects: LCSH: Ertz, Julie, 1992---Juvenile literature. | Women soccer players--United States--Biography--Juvenile literature. | Soccer--United States--History--Juvenile literature.

Classification: LCC GV942.7.E789 B883 2019 | DDC 796.334092 B--dc23

Manufactured in the United States of America

CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #CWPK19 For Further Information contact Rosen Publishing, New York, New York at 1-800-237-9932

THE EARLY DAYS

Julie Ertz (ne Johnston) was born to Kristi and David Johnston on April 6, 1992, in Mesa, Arizona. Julie and her sister, Melanie, played club soccer for the Arizona Arsenal Soccer Club, which used to be known as the Gilbert Soccer Club.

In 2004, Julie and Melanie switched teams to play for Sereno Soccer Club in Phoenix. They wanted to play on a more competitive team. Their mother drove them an hour each way for practice until Julie was old enough to drive. Playing for Sereno helped Julie become the star athlete she is today. She said, [switching to Sereno] ended up being the best decision Ive ever made.

STAR POWER

In many countries around the world, people call soccer football. In countries such as the United States and Australia, the sport is called soccer because theres another sport called football.

FROM 2004 TO 2010, ERTZ PLAYED FOR THE SERENO 92S ON THE U-13 THROUGH U-19 TEAMS.

GOALS AND GRADES

From 2006 to 2010, Ertz attended Dobson High School in Mesa. She chose not to play for her school soccer team. Instead, Ertz spent her time playing for Sereno. She played whichever position the coaches wanted her to play and she was comfortable playing anywhere. Ertz was named captain of her team and helped them win nine state championships.

CONNECTING WITH HER FANS HAS ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT TO ERTZ.

Ertzs success wouldnt have been possible if she hadnt worked hard in school. She was a member of the National Junior Honor Society and the National Honor Society. For all four years at Dobson, Ertz volunteered as a student athletic trainer.

MONEY HURTS

Even though Ertz was a talented player, she had to work hard for all her successes. When she was 13 years old, her parents sat her down to make sure she was serious about playing. Playing on a club team was expensive, and her family didnt have much money. She told her parents that she wanted to keep playing, so they continued to support her.

Ertz went to Santa Clara University, an expensive private school in California, even though she had only been searching for schools that offered full-ride scholarships. Luckily, she earned a full-ride scholarship at the end of her first season.

SOCCER FIELD ATSANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY

JERRY SMITH

ERTZ WAS SCARED SHE WOULDNT BE ABLE TO AFFORD GOING TO SCHOOL AT SANTA CLARA AND WOULD HAVE TO GO TO A DIFFERENT COLLEGE. HER COACH, JERRY SMITH, DIDNT WANT TO LOSE SUCH A GREAT PLAYER SO HE FOUND A WAY TO KEEP HER ON THE TEAM.

BUCKING LIKE A BRONCO

In 2010, Ertz joined the Santa Clara Broncos. She played as a defender, a midfielder, and a forward for the team. Ertz was named the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year. During her sophomore, or second, year, Ertz was a 2011 M.A.C. Hermann Trophy semi-finalist.

Her junior, or third, year, Ertz was voted U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year. As a senior, Ertz was named West Coast Conference Player of the Year. Throughout her college career, Ertz was a starter for 58 of the 59 games she played. She scored 29 goals and had 18 assists for a total of 76 points.

ERTZ WAS A FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN PLAYER IN 2011, 2012, AND 2013. SHE WAS ALSO NAMED TO THE ALL-WCC FIRST TEAM IN 2011, 2012, AND 2013.

ON THE WORLD STAGE

In 2012, Ertz also played international U-20 youth soccer for the U.S. womens national team (WNT). Ertzs teammates named her captain and she took her leadership role seriously. The team played 13 international matches, and Ertz helped them go to the 2012 FIFA U-20 Womens World Cup in Japan. On the road to the World Cup, Ertz played in all 13 matches and scored four goals.

On September 8, 2012, the U.S. WNT defeated Germany 10 for their third-ever World Cup win. Ertz, a defender, won the Bronze Ball as the tournaments third-best player. She was also named the 2012 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.

STAR POWER