Dream Come True

Palisades High Soccer Alum Kaitlyn Parcell Signs with Professional Team in Germany   

A childhood dream has been realized for Palisadian Kaitlyn Parcell, who has signed a contract to play for a German association football club based in Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia, a third-division squad that plays in the 3. Liga. Parcell grew up in the El Medio Bluffs, excelled in cross country and track at Corpus Christi School and led Palisades High in scoring every season, becoming the only player in school history to tally 50+ goals and 50+ assists in her varsity career—a testament to her unselfishness. She won the Palisadian-Post Cup Award in 2016 as the school’s outstanding senior athlete and founded “Big Sister Sports”­—a program to help middle school athletes improve their soccer skills and conditioning—and her 4.0+ GPA earned her a full-ride scholarship to Santa Clara University, where she earned Magna Cum Laude and West Coast Conference All-Academic recognition before transferring to Georgetown for her last year of eligibility while pursuing her master’s degree. In this exclusive interview with Sports Editor Steve Galluzzo, she reflects on her college career, dishes about her first pro team and reveals what her goals are for the future:         

PP: How did playing for Georgetown as a graduate student differ from playing at Santa Clara as an undergrad?

KP: The biggest difference was my own experience and age. When I got to Santa Clara I had no experience with college sports and was only 18. However, when I transferred to Georgetown I had several years of experience as a student athlete, so I was able to more confidently step into my role on the team. It was also a great experience since I had grown up and lived in California for most of my life to be able to go to school, play soccer, and make friends on the East Coast.

PP: After growing up in SoCal, what was it like living in D.C. and playing there? Did you notice a difference in the style of soccer?

KP: I absolutely loved playing and living on the East Coast. I made some amazing friends and created long lasting relationships with the people I met at Georgetown. I’m so thankful I got that opportunity.

PP: Was it weird playing your old school Santa Clara in the NCAAs?

KP: I can’t help but laugh a little every time someone asks me that. It’s still crazy to me that the tournament played itself out the way it did so that we got to play each other at Georgetown. It’s amazing sometimes how things come full circle like that.

PP: What are you most proud of in your college career? If you had to do it over again, what would you change, if anything?

KP: I would say I’m most proud that I maintained a positive and hard working attitude throughout my college career. Being a student athlete is really hard and there were some unforeseen aspects of my time in college that made things even more difficult, such as the pandemic. However, I’m proud of myself for staying positive and working through it all. I took risks like transferring to Georgetown to play my fifth year that ended up giving me a wonderful experience and great friendships.

PP: How did the opportunity to play in Germany come about?

KP: My coach at Georgetown created a highlight tape for me and sent it to some contacts he had in Europe. The next day I got an email from someone associated with the ownership group for MSV Duisburg asking if I had time for a phone call. We talked on the phone and I really liked what he had to say and the team seemed like it would be a good fit for me. I had several more conversations including ones with the head coach and other American girls on the team and felt that this was a great opportunity to play abroad. I’ve signed a contract for a year and a half so I can join the team for the remainder of this season and next season.

I’ve always dreamed of becoming a professional soccer player, so I’m grateful for this opportunity to accomplish a lifelong dream.

PP: As a pro athlete, what does your daily routine consist of?

KP: They want me to play left back which I have experience playing a lot of at Georgetown. The level of play is good! Practices are intense and I’m really enjoying getting to play with girls that grew up here in Germany. We lift two to three times per week and practice at 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday with games on Sundays. We also have meetings scattered throughout the week both as a team and individual as well as team dinners on Thursdays.

PP: Do you live by yourself? Have you adjusted to the culture?

KP: I’ve only been here for about a week so I’m still settling into a routine as we’re only in preseason right now. I do live with two roommates, both of whom were born and raised in Germany, so it’s really cool to be able to connect with people that had such different experiences growing up. We have a great apartment in the center of town so I’m surrounded by plenty of coffee shops, restaurants, and other stores. Of course, there’s lots of things to adjust to but so far everything has been great and I’m excited to see how things go over the next few months.

PP: Have you thought about what career to pursue in the future?

KP: Yes! I just graduated with my master’s from Georgetown in Integrated Marketing Communications and loved the program! My mom Karen is a residential real estate agent for Berkshire Hathaway and worked with me on my capstone project for grad school. I think it was during this project how much I realized I truly enjoyed marketing and wanted to make a career out of it when I finished playing soccer.

PP: Would you consider coaching when your playing days are over? KP: I’ve done private lessons for years now and have always loved it. I enjoy connecting with younger players and seeing their enthusiasm for the game. I would definitely be open to continuing to coach as I believe soccer will always be a big part of my life.