University of Memphis Athletics
League Of Her Own
Sep 21, 2018 | Women's Soccer
Smit honed her skills competing on boys' teams internationally.
Note: The Kimberley Smit feature first appeared in the Sept. 14 Tigers Football GameDay program when Memphis hosted Georgia State.
Growing up, Kimberley Smit had always wanted to play soccer. Like many kids in America, the Wassenaar, Netherlands, native developed a love for sports at an early age. Smit was active – practicing judo and playing handball, tennis and softball, among others.
But when it came to soccer, opportunities were limited.
"Soccer is really big in the Netherlands, but it's really big on men's teams and not women's teams," Smit said. "When I was younger, I always played with the guys because none of my friends really played."
Although hockey was the primary choice of her peers, Smit was eager to get involved with soccer, even if it meant playing with an all-boys team.
"I started soccer when I was 8-years-old, which is pretty late. I played a few other sports, but I wanted to play soccer," she said. "My mom thought that interest would fade, but I was searching and found that I could train with a team on Tuesdays, so I went to my mom and she agreed. That's when I started focusing on soccer and less on all the other sports."
Smit said her experience playing with all-boys' teams helped her improve the physical aspect of her game, which has aided her transition to collegiate soccer in the United States.
"They are physically really strong. When we were 15, they were getting faster and stronger. Before that, I was the biggest one until they started growing more. I could always go with them," she added.
After her first five matches wearing the Blue and Gray, the freshman has started every match and has logged 444 minutes. Smit also tallied a goal and an assist in her first collegiate career game, a 4-0 Memphis victory against Omaha to open the season.
On the pitch, she credits her teammates for making her transition as smooth as possible, especially when it comes to communication.
"The communication on the field is working. Sometimes I say certain things a different way, like I will call 'in your back' instead of 'man on,' because it's translated to Dutch 'in your back,'" Smit explained. "Because I've learned so much English and I think in English, I forget some names. Sometimes I'll call Olivia (Gauthier) Catherine (Levasseur), but she knows who I mean."
Off the field, Smit admits she is still learning about American culture, in particular, the food and weather.
"The food is really different. I still don't know what some things are. The first time I had dinner with my roommates, they said, 'Let's make this and that,' and I said, 'I have no idea what you are talking about, but ok.' They also helped translate certain things so I could know what it was," she laughed. "The weather is also so hot. The first time I came here, I was sweating every second I was outside. I'm still sweating."
In high school, Smit was also a member of a soccer academy in Holland under the direction of head coach Ton Jenner. With Jenner's help, Smit was able to get exposure in recruiting after sending highlight videos.
"I trained at the academy since I was 12. He knew I wanted to do something different," she said. "I liked the Memphis team and how they played. The coaches and I had a Skype conversation, and I had a good feeling about it. I chose here because they are traditionally ranked and because of the player development."
Now settling in to her new life as a student-athlete, Smit is grateful for the opportunity to play the sport she loves.
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