The signs were there early for Barb Kelley that her daughter was going to be strong-willed.

As she and her husband Jeff were expecting the birth of their child Jessica, the baby did not show much interest in waiting, prompting Barb to go through seven weeks of bed rest before she could deliver.

“I had my hands full with her when I was pregnant with her,” Barb said. “She’s always acted older than she was. She’s our only child and you might say she’s been a handful, but in truth she’s been really, really fun.”

Fun is what Jessica Kelley was having recently at the fields of Mount San Antonio Junior College in Southern California, where she was tearing it up at the adidas ESP event, a college recruiting showcase for some of the very best high school sophomores and freshman in the country. She was part of a strong Midwestern representation at the event’s all-star game that included Shea Groom, Megan Oyster, Brittany Von Rueden, Kaysie Clark, Amy Kauffung, Muriel Battaglia, Arin Gilliland and Sarah Killion.

It was a great night for Kelley, a fast attacking player for St. Louis Scott Gallagher, who cemented her reputation as one of the most coveted players in the class of 2011 recruiting group by making run after strong run with the ball.

“I like being physically involved and in the play at all times. I like making myself be a part of all,” Kelley said of her style. “You have to be able to move without and with the ball and the style of our club team is really aggressive. All of our players learn from each other. My personality also helps with me wanting to always be on the ball, because I like to be in control.”

Her more domineering instincts have been honed from an early age. Kelley started playing club soccer at age 9 with MSS Arsenal in Omaha, Nebraska. Her current club coach Kirk Moser credits the staff there with helping put her on the right foot in terms of mentality and skills. Her family moved to the St. Louis area when she was 12 and she was involved with St. Louis SC, now part of the larger St. Louis Scott Gallagher club. Now she’s with the U16 Green team coached by Moser.

“Her game has really elevated the past two years to be more than just a kid with above average speed,” Moser said. “Last year was a really big year for her as she went from playing against the best competition in the Midwest Regional League to playing as a freshman at St. Joseph Academy in high school ball. She’s gained a great deal of confidence and become a hard-nosed attacking player with a little bit of an edge.”

Moser sums up her style succinctly, noting how he tells college coaches that the player, “Plays like a guy."

What makes Kelley play like a guy? Continue reading here...