Photo by: Charlie Blake
Women's Soccer Q&A: Tabitha LaParl
9/14/2022 9:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer, Competing With Purpose Blog
Tabitha LaParl is a sophomore midfielder/forward for the Pepperdine women's soccer team and is the program's first WCC Player of the Week award winner of the 2022 season. LaParl started 18 out of the 22 games during her first season on the team, and received WCC All-Freshman team honors last year. We caught up with Tabitha to discuss her freshman season, her outlook on this year, and what she hopes to accomplish within her time at Pepperdine:
Q: You played very well last year. What are some of your favorite memories from freshman year?
A: I love traveling with the team, being able to stay in different places was cool. Due to COVID, we weren't really able to visit anything, but that almost made us closer because we found our own ways. We would play games in the hotel, and stuff like that, so it just really stuck out to me.
Q: Did you anticipate being a starter during your freshman season?
A: I had no expectations coming in. I knew I just had to come with a positive attitude. Obviously, I wanted to be a starter, everyone wants to, but that's just something I didn't want to focus on completely. I wanted to focus on making a difference, whether that be on the bench or the field whenever I got my chance. So, anytime I got on the field I wanted to make a difference, and I think that is what's helped me stay on the field. Trying to stay positive, work hard, and encourage the players around me has been helping me last and this season.
Q: Do you have any expectations for yourself or your team this year?
A: Overall, just making better connections, and the WCC title, that's what we want to win this year, and a national championship. We got cut short last year, but I think this year we have improved a lot. Everyone coming into preseason stepped it up, we all had our own expectation to be fit and on the ball. Being able to have our technique top-notch has helped us improve since last year.
Q: How does it feel to be Pepperdine's first WCC Player of the Week award winner of the season?
A: Honestly, I was very surprised because I didn't get it last year, so I didn't know it was coming. I was excited, and that's something I have been working towards, making a difference for my team and getting us closer to that WCC championship. I couldn't do it without the girls that I have on my team this year.
Q: What is one goal you hope to accomplish within your next year at Pepperdine?
A: I would say making a difference, an impact for our team. My individual goal is being a part of the All-WCC team, that is something I am working towards. As a whole, I think I can make a difference by talking more and being a leader on the team. Even though I am a sophomore on the team, I think I can contribute to being a positive light. My goal is to win a WCC championship, and we are all just working hard to get there.
Q: Who inspires you?
A: My dad. He has always been someone that has worked hard regardless of any positive or negative circumstances and doesn't let anything get in his way. I have a lot of respect for him for that. Every time he is at one of my games I am always thinking, "I want to make him proud."
Q: How did you end up coming to Pepperdine?
A: I was not looking at Pepperdine at all. My mom was the one that told me I should go on a tour, so I just agreed. I was looking at a couple of other schools, so I wasn't sure because I had never really heard of Pepperdine all that much. As soon as I came here I felt the feeling of comfort and home, and being a Christian as well; that led me to commit and want to come here. After I met the coaches and the team, it felt like I was supposed to be here, and I think that is what has kept me here too, through everything.
Q: Have you had a favorite game from this season or last?
A: From this season, it's the UCSB game. It is so much fun to play under the lights, and we had a good game as a whole, we were working hard. We had a setback starting in the second half, but we came back to get two other goals by Tori and Leyla. Last year, my favorite game was the USC game during preseason. That was the game where I came in as a sub, and I was still trying to figure out my role, but I feel like I found my place in that game. It was a really good game, and I feel like it was an upset because people weren't expecting our win.
Q: What is one thing you want people to know about the Pepperdine women's soccer team?
A: We are all just hard-working, and sometimes we can come off as cliquey, but I think that is just because we all really want to be around each other all the time. All of us are very friendly. When we travel for games we try to make an impact on the community that we travel to. Even in the Pepperdine community this year, we want to have more of a presence and give back. The team wants to be able to show the other side of us, not just the getting up early and being loud on the field in the mornings. I always feel bad because the people that live in Seaside can hear us, but that's just a part of the positive energy we have at practice.
Q: How would you describe your playing style?
A: I would say vocal-wise, I am very loud sometimes. I have a loud voice when I am in the game and am passionate about how we are playing. Playing style, I like to make combinations and I like to play those tricky balls that people aren't expecting, like over the shoulder. I am definitely one to pass more, I want to work on taking on players and dribbling more.
Q: You played very well last year. What are some of your favorite memories from freshman year?
A: I love traveling with the team, being able to stay in different places was cool. Due to COVID, we weren't really able to visit anything, but that almost made us closer because we found our own ways. We would play games in the hotel, and stuff like that, so it just really stuck out to me.
Q: Did you anticipate being a starter during your freshman season?
A: I had no expectations coming in. I knew I just had to come with a positive attitude. Obviously, I wanted to be a starter, everyone wants to, but that's just something I didn't want to focus on completely. I wanted to focus on making a difference, whether that be on the bench or the field whenever I got my chance. So, anytime I got on the field I wanted to make a difference, and I think that is what's helped me stay on the field. Trying to stay positive, work hard, and encourage the players around me has been helping me last and this season.
Q: Do you have any expectations for yourself or your team this year?
A: Overall, just making better connections, and the WCC title, that's what we want to win this year, and a national championship. We got cut short last year, but I think this year we have improved a lot. Everyone coming into preseason stepped it up, we all had our own expectation to be fit and on the ball. Being able to have our technique top-notch has helped us improve since last year.
Q: How does it feel to be Pepperdine's first WCC Player of the Week award winner of the season?
A: Honestly, I was very surprised because I didn't get it last year, so I didn't know it was coming. I was excited, and that's something I have been working towards, making a difference for my team and getting us closer to that WCC championship. I couldn't do it without the girls that I have on my team this year.
Q: What is one goal you hope to accomplish within your next year at Pepperdine?
A: I would say making a difference, an impact for our team. My individual goal is being a part of the All-WCC team, that is something I am working towards. As a whole, I think I can make a difference by talking more and being a leader on the team. Even though I am a sophomore on the team, I think I can contribute to being a positive light. My goal is to win a WCC championship, and we are all just working hard to get there.
Q: Who inspires you?
A: My dad. He has always been someone that has worked hard regardless of any positive or negative circumstances and doesn't let anything get in his way. I have a lot of respect for him for that. Every time he is at one of my games I am always thinking, "I want to make him proud."
Q: How did you end up coming to Pepperdine?
A: I was not looking at Pepperdine at all. My mom was the one that told me I should go on a tour, so I just agreed. I was looking at a couple of other schools, so I wasn't sure because I had never really heard of Pepperdine all that much. As soon as I came here I felt the feeling of comfort and home, and being a Christian as well; that led me to commit and want to come here. After I met the coaches and the team, it felt like I was supposed to be here, and I think that is what has kept me here too, through everything.
Q: Have you had a favorite game from this season or last?
A: From this season, it's the UCSB game. It is so much fun to play under the lights, and we had a good game as a whole, we were working hard. We had a setback starting in the second half, but we came back to get two other goals by Tori and Leyla. Last year, my favorite game was the USC game during preseason. That was the game where I came in as a sub, and I was still trying to figure out my role, but I feel like I found my place in that game. It was a really good game, and I feel like it was an upset because people weren't expecting our win.
Q: What is one thing you want people to know about the Pepperdine women's soccer team?
A: We are all just hard-working, and sometimes we can come off as cliquey, but I think that is just because we all really want to be around each other all the time. All of us are very friendly. When we travel for games we try to make an impact on the community that we travel to. Even in the Pepperdine community this year, we want to have more of a presence and give back. The team wants to be able to show the other side of us, not just the getting up early and being loud on the field in the mornings. I always feel bad because the people that live in Seaside can hear us, but that's just a part of the positive energy we have at practice.
Q: How would you describe your playing style?
A: I would say vocal-wise, I am very loud sometimes. I have a loud voice when I am in the game and am passionate about how we are playing. Playing style, I like to make combinations and I like to play those tricky balls that people aren't expecting, like over the shoulder. I am definitely one to pass more, I want to work on taking on players and dribbling more.
Players Mentioned
M/F
/ Women's Soccer
