My name is Ella Rustand, and I play for SC Del Sol’s U17 team in the Girls Academy, coached by Les Armstrong.

I played the attacking mid and left back positions for most of my life, but for the last two seasons, I have been playing as a left center back, which I love!! My strengths are my strong work ethic, my powerful left foot, my ability in the air, physical strength, mental toughness, 1 v 1 defending, technical footwork, and my leadership on the field. I am a very coachable player who always wants to learn and become the best player I can be. I can always be counted on to show up to compete and give my all at any training sessions or matches. My goal is to play college soccer and continue my soccer career beyond the collegiate level.

My family and I live in Tucson, AZ. My team trains in Phoenix, so I commute 2-2.5hrs each way to practice. I am currently a sophomore at Sabino High School, where I maintain a 4.0 GPA. My school has been very helpful in making my soccer schedule work. I take my core classes on campus, and I take my electives online. I generally get my studying completed in the car.

Outside of soccer I love spending time with my family and friends. I live very close to my extended family, so we always have some sort of competition going on, whether that is football, soccer, basketball, capture the flag, or wrestling matches. This definitely keeps my competitive desire alive! I have an older brother and two sisters. I am also very involved in my church, and my faith is a huge part of who I am.

I know all of these pieces are part of the package that I bring each time I step out on the field to train or compete. I hope to always be learning and growing!