This week’s edition of "One Versus Eleven" spotlights Destiny midfielder Kristin Stannard.  Kickers intern Sara Schecter interviewed Kristin, who is a rising junior at Stanford University.  

Kristin Stannard returns to the Richmond Kickers Destiny team for the 2008 season.  A veteran of the Destiny, Kristin made her debut as a midfielder for the team in 2004 when she was still attending Clover Hill High School in Midlothian, VA.  She has proved to be a valuable asset to the team with 27 games played, 26 goals scored, 2231 minutes played, and 31 shots attempted in total since she began with the team.  Kristin has played internationally with the under-17 U.S. National Team in Brazil and Mexico.  As a member of the FC Richmond Mystx, Kristin was named 2005 NSCAA/adidas Girls Youth All-American Team Selection, and received the 2005 VA Gatorade player of the year award.  

1. What made you choose Stanford?

I fell in love with the school during my first visit out there. The campus is beautiful, the academics are reputable, and the women’s soccer team is the best team I’ve ever played on. The distance was the only thing holding me back, but in the end, how could I say no to Stanford?

2. What is your favorite part about living in Palo Alto California now?

The weather

3. What was the first soccer team you ever played for?

The Blue Dolphins!

4. If you weren’t playing soccer, what would you be doing?

I’m not sure. I would like to say I’d be studying more and getting better grades, but that’s probably not true. Soccer helps me balance everything that I need to, and it helps keep my priorities straight.

5. Who is your greatest role model? Why?

My brother. He’s been through a lot of the same things that I have, and he has helped me through tough times that I have had with soccer.

6. Favorite sports other than soccer?

Gymnastics, basketball, tennis

7. What do you plan on doing after Stanford?

Working for an energy company, maybe doing something with ‘going green’

8. What is your major at Stanford?

Energy Resources Engineering (ERE). It used to be Petroleum Engineering, but the major has switched to ERE for obvious reasons. I’ll be learning a lot about other energy sources, like wind, solar, and geothermal. I think it should be pretty interesting, as well as pretty lucrative for me in the future!

9. What do you like to do when you are not playing soccer?

I love watching movies. I see most of them while they’re out in theaters, and I sometimes even see them two or three times.  I also love shopping, reading, and kayaking.

10. What is the best experience you have had so far?

Going to Mexico with the U17 Women’s National Team. We were treated like celebrities, and it was so much fun.

11. What do you like most about playing for the Richmond Kickers Destiny?

It’s fun. College soccer is very intense, and it’s nice to go back to a fun atmosphere that is much less stressful. I’ve been on the team for a while now, and it’s fun coming back year after year to see the girls and how their seasons have gone. Time flies though; I used to be the youngest by a long shot, but here I am, now one of the oldest on the team.