Milbrett finds her niche
After leaving stardom in the collegiate ranks, former Portland forward Tiffeny Milbrett had to learn to fit in with the U.S. national team.
In six months, Tiffeny Milbrett went from the queen of the University of Portland’s Merlo Field to U.S. national team neophyte to, well…
Comfortable.
Happy, yes. Excited, definitely. But mostly comfortable — with her role on the U.S. team that will defend its FIFA World Championship in Sweden, with her teammates and with her future in the sport.
The Hillsboro, Ore., native had her homecoming May 14 when the national team beat Brazil 4-1 at a sun-drenched Merlo Field.
Milbrett, making her second start this year, was greeted by a roar from the near-sell-out crowd of 4,911 and, from the start, the scene might have been from Milbrett’s heyday as a Pilot only months in the past.
In the 15th minute, Milbrett sprinted up a nearly clear field, dribbled past a defender and set up an easy shot for Carin Gabarra for the first U.S. goal. Later, Milbrett missed a couple of scoring chances before rifling a rebound ball past Brazil’s goalkeeper — her third goal for the national team this year.
“I felt really honored,” Milbrett said. “The whole team got to be a part of it. To come out and see what the Portland crowd is all about. I was really excited to bring my team home — to see the people who have meant so much to me.”
The Milbrett who wore the U.S. uniform was a more complete player than the one who wore Portland’s purple and white, displaying improved passing and defending skills as well as her familiar ball coverage on sprints to the goal.
The transition wasn’t always easy, but Milbrett said she never doubted her ability to play at the highest level.
When Notre Dame ended Portland’s season — and her storied collegiate career —
in the semifinals of the 1994 final four last November, Milbrett barely paused for a deep breath before heading to Florida for national team tryouts.
The competition was fierce enough to make the World Cup team, but players also were eager to establish themselves with an eye on the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, when women’s soccer makes its debut.
“I didn’t have any expectations about what I would do,” Milbrett said. “I knew that it was going to be something [where] I would come in and struggle. Coming in — learning and growing — it’s always a struggle.”
‘Big fish in a big pond’
Milbrett earned a spot on the team and the real challenges began — not just demanding practices but finding a role on and off the field with a team that has dominated world soccer. Milbrett had national team experience but, like other relative newcomers, found herself outside of the circle of veterans.
“At Portland, I was one of the ones to watch, and I come out here [with the national team] and there’s a group of players who have been together so long,” she said. “At Portland, I’m a big fish in a little pond. Now I’m a big fish in a big pond.”
If things had gone the way they hoped, Milbrett would have had close friend Shannon MacMillan with her on the team. But a foot injury that slowed MacMillan last fall didn’t heal in time. Soon after she was able to play again, the Portland junior forward was diagnosed with a stress fracture.
“I told her, ‘Take care of it and then worry about soccer,'” Milbrett said. “What me as a friend and as a peer could do was say, ‘Don’t worry about it, not making the trials.'”
Slowly, Milbrett found her niche — on the field and socially.
“All the pieces are fitting together,” she said. “I’m proving myself with my soccer. I’m being accepted socially. I’m proving my importance to the team and the team’s importance to me.”
U.S. coach Tony DiCicco has made Milbrett his 12th or 13th player, and said he looked for different ways to fit her into the lineup.
“She’s there,” DiCicco said after the game with Brazil. “In the last year, my challenge to her was, ‘OK, you’ve scored at every level. Now it’s time to score on the international level.’ The next step for her is to score on every chance.”
Milbrett acknowledged that she still has room to grow.
“I still need to learn, fine tune,” Milbrett added. “But, yeah, I feel like in the future — soon — I see myself having a bigger role. With anything, you have to grow, you have to learn, you have to serve your time and you have to let it happen.”
<by Soccer America correspondent Abby Haight