Parker Roberts has started every match in her first season with the Gators.
Attitude, Effort Ease Roberts' Transition to Florida
Tuesday, October 17, 2017 | Soccer
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Roberts brings international experience, competing for the USA in the 2016 U20 World Cup..
By: Denver Parler
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — It's October and the Florida soccer team will enter the home stretch of another season in position to play for championships. No surprise there.
Contending for championships is what midfielder Parker Roberts came to Gainesville to do, but even in the recruiting process, the redshirt sophomore transfer sensed something special at Florida. Sure, she wanted to be a part of championship-winning teams, but it went beyond that.
"Every sport was really talented and every sport supported each other," Roberts recalled. "Just being a Gator, it seemed like it's about something so much bigger than yourself."
Turned out, Roberts' initial impression was pretty accurate. The Kansas transfer found plenty to love at UF in her first season with the Gators. She found a community and a sense of belonging.
"Everywhere you go, you see it's for the Gators," said Roberts, the redshirt sophomore from Leawood, Kan. "It's not really for yourself or your team, it's for the school. It's for the whole environment, everyone that goes here. It's a giant school, but everyone has so much pride to be a Gator. I think that's really cool."
Roberts (left) competed for the USA in the 2016
U20 FIFA World Cup.
Roberts transferred from Kansas to Florida in the summer of 2016, but couldn't acclimate to Gator life wearing the Orange and Blue that season. Instead, she wore the Red, White and Blue.
She was among a handful of collegiate players across the nation who took courses online while training and competing for the USA in the 2016 U20 FIFA World Cup. While the World Cup is an irreplaceable experience, it also left Roberts with some catching up to do, both on and off the field once she made it to Gainesville.
That's where Roberts' outward focus and the healthy team culture of Gators soccer created the ideal situation.
"She's fit right in perfectly," said teammate Gabby Seiler, who also came to UF as a transfer. "It's kind of like she's been here the whole time. I think that's a testament to our teammates being super-open to anyone that comes in here."
"She came into a really difficult situation because she came in and then she was gone [to World Cup], but she really handled that well," UF coach Becky Burleigh said. "I think that takes a very special person because it's not so much the athletic environment, and how do you find your way into that?"
One way to win new teammates over on the field?
Hard work and the right attitude.
"You can't deny her energy and what she brings to a team in terms of her positivity," Burleigh said. "Her work ethic is awesome."
"Growing up, it was something I could control," Roberts said. "So whether I wasn't playing well or something, I knew that I could control how hard I worked. I felt like the biggest way I could make a difference was just by working as hard as I can because you can always control that."
Parker Roberts (left with pink headband) celebrates her goal versus Missouri with her Gator teammates.
That effort has translated into good things for Roberts and the Gators (11-4, 5-2), who are home against Kentucky (7-10, 2-5) Thursday night. Roberts has scored goals this season, including the game-winner vs. Syracuse, and assisted on the overtime winner at Iowa State.
Roberts' team-first attitude is evident as she stepped into a center back spot after All-SEC performer Kristen Cardano suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear versus Florida State.
And while Roberts has made an immediate on-field impact, her experience at Florida is paying dividends off the field, as well.
"I don't think I've ever been happier in my life," Roberts said. "It's awesome, just the girls and the coaches. It's such a positive environment, and it's so competitive, but it's so fun. That makes it a lot better. I know that every day we're getting better, but we're also having fun doing what we love.
"I just want to contribute as much as I can to this team because I know that they would do anything for me. I just want to do the best that I can for them."
So as Roberts puts her work ethic to good use helping the Gators compete for championships, she'll probably be doing it with a smile on her face.
