Oliva Brannon is a top defensive recruit

Oliva Brannon is a top defensive recruit
March 16, 2009

Olivia Brannon’s mother Ericha assumed the worst when the camp director began asking the seemingly telltale question “Who is Olivia’s mom?”

The 5-year old had been enrolled in a beginner’s soccer camp as her mother heard the inquiry, she and a friend looked at one another and jokingly responded “That depends.”

It turned out that even then Olivia was getting attention with her good play. The coach simply wanted to tell Ericha she might have a special player on her hands.

Eleven years later, Olivia is making waves with the U17 Women’s National Team, at recruiting events like adidas ESP (where she was an All-Star) and with her club team, Michigan Jags.

Elite club soccer player Olivia Brannon.Olivia Brannon (right)
Brannon just completed a national team camp at Home Depot Center, playing all along the back line and at defensive midfielder. She is highly motivated by her opportunity with Kaz Tambi’s squad and enjoyed her stint at defensive-midfielder.

“He threw me in there and told me to give it a shot,” Brannon recalls. “I really enjoyed the camp and am working hard for the next one.”

The next one will again be at Home Depot Center, the first week of April. Brannon has earned her way back for the same reasons she has turned the heads of college recruiters: her technical ability, tactical understanding and athletic prowess.

Her club coach at Jags, Joe Malachino, said the national team experience has served as an extra motivation for Brannon.

“She’s responded in the right way and she’s working to get better technically,” he said. “A light bulb has gone off for her to work hard on her own to get better technically.”

Malachino likes Brannon in the back line.

“I’ve used her up top because of her athletic ability. She creates a lot of chances with her speed,” he said. “But her best position is defender. She plays simple, is composed on the ball and her distribution and decision-making out of the back is very good. Plus she likes to get forward. She’s just getting better as a player and is a tough, solid defender.”

Brannon agrees that the position is a favorite, but adds that she learns from all of them.

“I think it helps me a lot to play different positions. I consider myself naturally more of a defender, but playing there helps me as forward because I know what I should do and I know what defenders should do,” she said. “It helps to have all the different mindsets about whether to make a run or where to position myself.”

Brannon mentioned a 3v3 national indoor event at age 8 that has helped motivate her to succeed.

“I was actually playing goalie and they scored on us late and we lost,” she said. “I realized I never wanted to feel like that again so I was going to put my whole heart into everything I did from then on. I think it has worked for me.”

As part of that dedication she has now taken to mastering Tambi’s famed juggling of the tennis ball exercise.

“I do that constantly now,” she said. “I don’t really have any free time.”

Others who played with Brannong at the  last national camp include Cate Parchinski, Courtney Proctor, Shelby Payne, Sydney Payne and Laura Liedle.

Brannon also trains with club and high school teams and trains with a Jags U15 Boys team, which she credits with helping her speed of play.

“It is awesome going there. You have to play faster and it helps me get ready for national team camp. You can’t take your time on the ball,” she said. “They don’t give me any breaks. I’ve been bloodied up playing with them before.”

Brannon added that while she is starting to hear from a lot of colleges across the country, she has not started to prune her list yet.

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