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Q&A with Women's Soccer's Rachel Melhado
July 09, 2013 | Women's Soccer
July 9, 2013
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Last month, Louisville senior defender Rachel Melhado earned her first international cap for the Canadian National Team while seeing game action in an international friendly against Germany on June 19 in Paderborn, Germany.
After entering the match in the 70th minute, Melhado (Brampton, Ont./Turner Fenton HS) played the final 20 minutes on Team Canada's backline in the 1-0 loss to Germany. One of just 17 players on the Canadian roster for the match, Melhado represented herself well in her debut for the senior team. The match wrapped up a five-day camp for Canada in Germany.
GoCards.com recently caught up with Melhado to review her experience with the Canadian National Team in Germany.
Q&A with Louisville Senior Defender Rachel Melhado
GoCards.com: How did you receive the news you had been chosen to participate in the Canadian National Team's camp in Germany?
Melhado: I actually received the news over the phone while I was out with my dad. I got a call from one of the managers of the Canadian Women's National Team and she had told me that the John Herdman (head coach) was very pleased with my play in the national team excel programs. I was told that he had invited me onto the roster for the international friendly against Germany and that I would be flying out to Paderborn, Germany in a short five days.
GoCards.com: What were some of your initial thoughts and feelings upon earning the invitation to the team camp?
Melhado: When Sian (Bagshawe, the manager) first told me and the words congratulations came out of her mouth, I didn't know what to say. She then asked if I would like to participate and of course, in my head, I wanted to be a part of the amazing opportunity being presented to me, but I just couldn't seem to get the words out of my mouth. It felt like I was in a dream. I couldn't get a grip on all of the emotions running through my body. I was so excited, nervous and anxious that I was literally speechless.
GoCards.com: What was the format of the team camp and what were the training sessions like?
Melhado: The format of the camp was very well organized. We had one training session a day, normally at around 6 p.m., so we could get adjusted to what the weather would be like and how we would feel playing at that time on game day. With the exception of one day where we had two practices to make sure we covered all that was needed to be covered to be best prepared for the game. The days were very relaxed and we had loads of free time, which is very different than other camps I had been a part of with the U-20 national team. Training sessions were never very strenuous for the whole duration. There were moments of hard work, but we were always monitored with our heart rate monitors and GPS units to make sure we were never over exerting ourselves. Training sessions were very technical and each training session focused on one specific aspect to our game, whether that was attacking our half, defending our half, etc.
GoCards.com: With 18 players participating in the camp and not everyone making the final roster for the match with Germany, when did you learn you would be in uniform for the game?
Melhado: Even though only 18 players ended up coming to the camp, it certainly never meant I could work any less because I was still fighting for a starting spot on the team. I knew I would be wearing a jersey on game day, it was just a matter of when would that jersey be seen by the rest of the world and that all depended on how hard I worked in the pre-camp and how well I proved my ability to play at the senior international level.
GoCards.com: Were you able to sleep well the night before the match and what did you do to pass the time on game day?
Melhado: The starting roster was announced the night before the game and that is when I found out that I would not be starting in the match, but that didn't seem to get rid of any of the nerves before going to bed that night, especially because my roommate was going to be starting and she was also new to the team just like myself, so I really tried to make sure that she kept her nerves under control and gave her as much confidence in her abilities as possible. The night was quite rough for the both of us, but luckily we had the whole day to relax and just replay everything we wanted to accomplish in our heads and visualize the positives. On game day, we woke up and did everything the same way we had done every day during the camp and before we knew it, we were on the bus heading to the stadium.
GoCards.com: How was your pregame experience (in the locker room, on-field warm ups, team introductions)?
Melhado: The pregame was amazing. We got into the locker room and immediately turned the music on full blast just to calm everyone and help people get into the mood. Others, like myself, had headphones on because for me that is my way of getting into the zone. I always listen to a certain set of songs before I take my headphones off and jam out with the rest of the girls. The warmup was great. Everyone had a great attitude and looked focused. What made the experience for me during warmups was being able to watch the seats fill up and the stadium become packed with people both cheering for Germany as well as Canada. The team introductions put it into a completely different perspective for me and I have never sung the national anthem as loud and proud as I did that day.
GoCards.com: What went through your mind when you got the call to enter the match and were you pleased with how you played during your 20 minutes of action?
Melhado: When I first saw Kadeisha Buchanan limping on the field, I knew this could possibly be my opportunity because it was between me and another center back. Then all of a sudden, I heard my name and before I knew it, I was at the center half line getting ready to go on the field. I was overwhelmed, anxious, nervous and very excited. I had so many emotions and thoughts running through my head that I didn't know how I felt going in there. All I knew was that with every opportunity I got, I had to make the best of it and do the best that I could. I knew I was playing against one of the best attacking forces in the world with some of the best strikers in the world and I had to go into every tackle hard and win every ball in the air. I was very pleased with the way I played for my first game at that level. I was getting up there and winning aerial balls and trying to be as positive and effective as possible with my communication, especially because I knew the girls were tired and they needed the energy to be vocalized as well.
GoCards.com: What were your most memorable moments of the training camp, the match with Germany and the entire experience?
Melhado: It wasn't until team introductions where it finally hit me that I was standing in a packed stadium with this Canadian jersey on my back singing the national anthem next to some of the best players in the world at a place I didn't see myself in so soon. But I was there and whether I got on the field or not, I knew I was representing my country -- I was making my dream a reality. The overall experience really was better than I ever had imagined -- the coaching staff, the players, the country, everything!
GoCards.com: What did you learn about yourself, your game and your future opportunities to compete for Team Canada?
Melhado: I think the greatest thing I learned about myself is that now that I have been to Germany and played in an international level game, I now know that I can compete at that level. I know that I have the skillset as well as the mindset to compete with some of the best players in the world and it's exciting to know that I still have a lot of things that I can get better at. This will only help me and allow me to play at the international level even better. Playing for Team Canada is one of the best feelings in the world and now having my first cap, I will keep working to make sure that it is not my last.
GoCards.com: What were some of the things you learned from the experience in Germany that you can apply on and off the field for the Louisville soccer team in your final season as a Cardinal this fall?
Melhado: It's crazy to think this is my last season as a Cardinal, but I know I can take my experience playing at the international level and bring it back here to the University of Louisville soccer team. I believe my leadership skills, both on and off the field, are what will allow me to bring other aspects of leadership to the team after being in Germany. The opportunity in Germany allowed me to see a different side of the game and increase my vision and awareness on and off the ball, which I can't wait to show here at Louisville and help my teammates to see as well to help make us the best team in the American Athletic Conference. I'm just excited to get the season rolling because I know this team has endless potential that can take us far.
