“SASA is where I developed all of my basic skills and where I really found my way.”

Becca Jostes loved to play soccer. She played on girls teams. She played on boys teams. She played on girls teams that played against boys teams.  She played on teams with players in her age group.  She played on her older sisters’ teams.  But when she started playing on SASA teams at 8 years old, that sent her on her way.

“I was exposed to advanced coaches for the first time,” says Jostes. “When I think of SASA coaches that helped me the most along the way I think of Jeff Smith and Rene Troppa. They were my main coaches for most of my time at SASA. They worked together to develop us into the best players we could be and taught us a lot about the game. ”

“It's also where I was exposed to being on a high level girls team. My age group that went through SASA was incredibly good.”  

How good was that group?  Just look at the names and where they ended up playing college soccer.  D1 players include Maddie Gleeson (Southeast Missouri), Ashleigh Cearlock (Creighton), Kelly Graves (Virginia Commonwealth), Cressa Wagner (Loyola-Chicago), and Clair Cody (IPFW).  Maggie Juhlin (UIS), Katie Juhlin (Lindenwood), Marrissa Barria (Lindenwood), Baylee Smith (Quincy), Amanda Williams (McKendree), and Ally Milnes (UMSL) went D2. 

After playing for final two years at St. Louis Scott Gallagher, Jostes ended up at SIU Edwardsville.

“The jump from club to the D1 level was hard and much more of a challenge,” Jostes says. “College experience really does play a huge factor in your game. As a freshman you don’t have that. It took my freshman year to develop and to gain confidence before I really felt like myself again.”

Jostes played four years for the Cougars.  Her freshman year had two memorable moments.  She converted in a penalty kick shootout against Austin Peay in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference tournament, which the team eventually won to advance to the NCAA Tournament.  And in the NCAAs, Jostes scored in a penalty kick shootout to help the team upset Notre Dame in the first round.

SASA laid the foundation that she relied on throughout her career. “SASA helped me achieve my goal of playing soccer because it is the core of all my skills and game play. It is where I developed the most and played against and with the best players and teams. SASA helped me in a lot of ways and I am very grateful for my time at SASA.”

Check out Becca Jostes’s career college profile on the SIUE website https://www.siuecougars.com/sports/w-soccer/2019-20/bios/jostes_becca_if5f