By Joey Johnston
Away from the pitch, USF women's soccer goalkeeper Sydney Martinez unabashedly wears heels. It hardly matters that she stands 6-foot-1. She's proud of her sturdy frame. And it's a real problem for opponents.
When sizing up opportunities at the USF goal, their eyes usually get wide and they overcompensate, trying to find a sliver of an opening as Martinez uses her wingspan, athleticism and fearless nature to protect the Bulls.
"There just aren't many players like her in the country,'' USF coach Denise Schilte-Brown said. "There are some women with similar height and longer arms, but I wouldn't call them agile or even coordinated. Sydney has this beautiful frame. She's blessed. She's a tremendous athlete. And she's certainly a weapon that we continue to take advantage of.''
The Bulls open Sunday night at home against Florida Gulf Coast University. Last season, the Bulls (12-4-3 overall, 6-1-1 in the American Athletic Conference with a regular-season title) earned their fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, continuing one of the most impressive postseason runs in USF athletics history (for any sport).
Martinez was a big reason for that success. She started all 19 games, compiling an .821 save percentage with 69 saves and eight solo shutouts (giving her a career 23).
"I think we're in a good spot,'' Martinez said. "We lost some productive players, but we have some new ones who are very promising. I'm not concerned at all, although we'll probably have a bit of a learning curve in the beginning. Once things click in, we'll be in our normal spot, trying to get that conference title and go as far as we can.''
Martinez said she plans to step up more as a leader, a necessity because of her veteran status, but also due to the importance of her position.
"In the past, I would tend to (defer to) a field player, but now I have the confidence to set the tone and know that I will be someone they respect and listen to,'' Martinez said.
She has earned that distinction.
"I love having a true leader in goal,'' Schilte-Brown said. "Last season, we began to see the rise of a leader. We have been so blessed in this program to have so many great goalkeepers and Sydney, for sure, will rank with that group. She sees the whole field and she is not passive back there, no way. She's mentally strong. With the way she plays, I think her teammates know how much she wants to win.
"I think her size is a huge advantage. To put it in perspective, we play in the same size goal as a man. They usually have more height, more speed, more power. The women are just as good as the men when it comes to finessing a shot around the goal, but usually the women have someone much, much smaller back there. We have Sydney. Good for us.''
Martinez said she was 5-foot-9 in the sixth grade. In soccer, coaches liked her in goal because of the formidable size. She tried basketball and didn't like it. Playing at the net in volleyball was fun, but by the time she reached Effingham County High School (in Rincon, Georgia, just outside of Savannah), she had to choose. Soccer was her natural sport.
She kept growing and hearing the kid-created nicknames … Skyscraper … Giant … Jolly Green Giant's wife … "and some not as nice as that.''
Martinez said she dismissed all of that. At times growing up, she wished she was smaller. She still battles a slouching problem, probably because all of her friends range between 5-foot-4 and 5-foot-6.
"Around the eighth grade, I started thinking about the animals like giraffes that are as tall as can be and they carry themselves well,'' Martinez said. "Why can't I do that and be as good as I can be? Stand tall. Stand proud. I'm OK with who I am.''
So are the Bulls. Having Martinez in goal is often the winning edge for a team with designs on a large postseason run.
"I try to be big out there, so the closer they get, the less they see of the goal,'' Martinez said. "I hope that intimidates them. I hope they think twice about what they're trying to do. That's the idea. Make it as difficult for them as possible.''
"She has obvious physical tools, but she's also a competitor who really wants to win,'' Schilte-Brown said. "She puts in the work. She's technically sound. Her techniques are proper. She's going to continue to get better and she's really, really good right now. When I think about what Sydney can do for us, I feel good.''
