Pictured: Lindsay Tarpley. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Red Stars
Lindsay Tarpley grew up in Kalamazoo, Mich., and her parents often brought her to Chicago for long weekends or to see a sporting event.
Now she's the sports stars others want to see.
Four games into the rookie campaign of the Chicago Red Stars, she is the team's top scorer.
"Playing for the Red Stars is a dream come true," said Tarpley, 25, a midfielder who wears No. 5. "Playing professional soccer is something I've always dreamed about. And doing it in Chicago is incredible; there's so much to see and do in Chicago; I really enjoy [ the opportunities ] I have to explore and venture out into the city.
"I feel very fortunate to be where I am, playing for the Red Stars."
Tarpley was a gold medalist at the 2008 Olympics, starting all six games and recording one goal and one assist. She played in 34 games for the United States in 2008, finishing third on the team with 12 goals.
Tarpley ranks among the top 15 all-time goal scorers in U.S. history.
"I like to think about the game. A lot of my movements and the things that I do, I actually think about them before they actually happen," she said. "What I always try to do is, put myself in situations or positions where the team can really use me."
Her path has worked. Just consider Tarpley's resume:
—Second-youngest player on the 2004 Olympic team;
—Named 2002 U.S. Soccer Young Female Player of the Year;
—Competed in 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup and tallied an assist against Norway in the third-place match;
—Played for the New Jersey Wildcats in 2005, helping the team to a 13-1 regular season record and the W-League championship; and
—Captained the University of North Carolina ( UNC ) her junior and senior years. She finished her college career with 59 goals and 59 assists, and played a major role in leading UNC to a perfect 27-0-0 record and an NCAA championship as a sophomore.
"I started traveling for [ upper-level ] soccer when I was 14. Since, I've been to a lot of places and seen a lot of soccer. That past experience certainly helps me with the Red Stars, and it's been a wonderful experience so far," Tarpley said.
"We weren't attacking like we wanted to in the first couple of games, but then we really stepped up our attack. Having so many international stars on the team is all good. It's an incredible experience to be training and have all of these great players together from around the world; I think you learn from each other.
"For me, it's just about focusing on the things that I can control."
Getting To Know … Lindsay Tarpley
—Hobbies: Going to coffee shops, reading, shopping, exploring.
—Favorite music: "To be honest, I listen to everything."
—Favorite movie: Miracle
—Favorite actor: Brad Pitt
—Favorite actress: Jessica Biel
—Favorite sport ( excluding soccer ) : Basketball
—Favorite pro athlete: Derek Jeter
—Favorite Chicago pro sports team: Baseball's Cubs
—On UNC soccer: "It was an incredible experience. I have a lot of wonderful things to say about [ head coach ] Anson Dorrance, the staff and just my overall experience there."
Next week: The Chicago Red Stars' Megan Rapinoe is profiled.
