By Cassie Sheridan |
The Pilots have a force guarding their net, colloquially referred to as “Deesus” from the student section. The 5’11’’ senior goalkeeper Erin Dees has had a strong showing this season with seven shutouts and 56 saves. Dees, the 2012 Team MVP, ended last season with 109 career saves and an all-WCC honorable mention. Dees is from Downers Grove, Ill.
What are your goals for this season?
I definitely am focused on winning the WCC and to stay home as much as we can through the play-offs, because our fans are the best. Also, get past the second round in the play-offs, hopefully farther.
When there is a set play, such as a corner kick, that is a serious threat. What are you focused on?
Just making sure everybody is marked up and where they are suppose to be. To have certain people in certain positions, makes my job a whole lot easier and its far easier to focus and feel (relatively) at ease.
What have you learned about being an effective leader as a leader on the team?
I always try to lead by example. I am not a huge talker or in the huddle motivator, but I try to be consistent. I show up to practice every day with set goals and a clear focus. I also am big on holding people accountable, during practice and in their attitudes.
When did you realize your talents as a keeper as opposed to a field player?
I start playing keeper consistently around U-12, so I was 11. I was not really built for running around and I was a lot better at strategic diving and getting into the plays no one else was really interested in doing. I got set in goal and just fell in love with it.
How do you think your role as a keeper differs mentally from that of a field player?
I think that a huge thing for keepers is staying engaged in the game. A lot of times there may be no action for 40 minutes and then suddenly a very stressful 10-second threat. Field players are actively engaged in the game at all times while as a keeper you have to stay mentally engaged not necessarily being physically engaged.
How do you think you have learned to stay engaged in those times where there may be no direct action for a long period of the game?
I spend a lot of those times like commentating the game to myself, like “OK the ball’s over there, okay now a pass to so and so,” kind of like that. Another way is just being consciously aware of where my defensive line is and how they are situated to maintain structure.
A lot of very famous former Pilots have said, “Playing on Merlo is an experience like none other.’” What are your feelings toward Merlo?
I love Merlo; it’s probably one of my favorite places ever, even when nobody’s there in the summer. On game nights, it’s unparalleled. Away games make you appreciate Merlo so much because there may be 100 fans at some of those games and you just think “Wow, this is their home game experience.” Merlo is one of the reasons I came to UP.
What is your favorite memory from Merlo?
Definitely beating Washington State in PKs last year. The fans storming the field and the celebration that occurred are indescribable. It was just such a great moment; pure happiness. It didn’t matter what had happened, or what was going to come next, we were all very much living in the moment. I think an experience like that, with the fans and the atmosphere could only happen on Merlo. That doesn’t happen everywhere.
What do you enjoy doing outside of soccer and school?
I like to play Frisbee golf and just being with friends. Occasionally, I’ll get into a book or a show but I spend most of my free time just with my friends.
When you are playing something like Frisbee golf do you bring your competitive edge to it?
It’s funny to me because a lot of athletes have a real problem separating those things from each other, but I don’t. It may be because I’m not really that good at it.
You graduate this spring. Where do you hope you are a year from now?
Hopefully right here going to grad school. I presently intern with the sports information department at UP and that is definitely the career track I am interested in pursuing.
