Episode 37: Lou Ruffien — From the French National Team to Harvard Soccer

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In Episode 37 of The Soccer Ladder, Megan and Liam sit down with Lou Ruffien, French Youth National Team player, Paris FC academy standout, and incoming Harvard Women's Soccer student-athlete. After representing France at the UEFA U-17 European Championship and FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, Lou shares what it's really like to compete at the highest levels of youth soccer, adapt to life in Europe, and prepare for the next chapter at Harvard. She also opens up about resilience, mental performance, and the lessons she's learned through both triumphs and setbacks. In this episode, we discuss: ⚽ Representing France at the U-17 Euros and FIFA U-17 World Cup ⚽ Choosing Harvard over a professional contract ⚽ The differences between academy soccer and international football ⚽ The importance of versatility and adapting to new positions ⚽ How mental coaching transformed her confidence and consistency ⚽ What French coaches value most in young players ⚽ Balancing pressure, setbacks, and confidence ⚽ Why surrounding yourself with the right people matters ⚽ Advice for young girls pursuing high-level soccer ⚽ Her goals of playing professionally and representing France's senior national team Follow: 📲 Lou Ruffien: @lou.ruffien11 📲 Paris FC Féminines: @parisfc_feminines 📲 Harvard Women's Soccer: @harvardwsoccer Follow The Soccer Ladder: 📲 Instagram: @meganlinkeofficial 📲 Instagram: @liamlinke18 🎙️ Subscribe for more conversations with elite players, coaches, and leaders shaping the future of the game. ⚽️🔥

Episode 34 | Janine Willis (Soccer in the Streets)

A conversation on access, opportunity, and using soccer to change communities. Hosts Megan Liam About This Episode In Episode 34 of The Soccer Ladder, we sit down with Janine Willis, former Canadian Women’s National Team player and Board of Directors member for Soccer in the Streets (@soccerstreets). From her journey playing at Princeton and with the Canadian National Team to now helping lead one of the most impactful soccer nonprofits in the country, Janine shares how soccer can become a vehicle for access, mobility, mentorship, and community transformation. We dive into Atlanta’s pay-to-play challenges, youth development, mental health, social-emotional learning, and how Soccer in the Streets is creating safe spaces where every child can thrive. In This Episode * Janine Willis’ journey from Canada to the collegiate and national team level * Growing up playing on boys teams due to limited girls infrastructure * Playing Division I soccer at Princeton University * Transitioning from soccer into law school and life after sport * Why identity outside of soccer matters for young athletes * The realities of pay-to-play and the participation gap in youth soccer * Why Atlanta ranks among the highest in income inequality * How Soccer in the Streets is using soccer to create opportunity * Inside the organization’s “Station Soccer” initiative near MARTA transit stations * How public transportation access impacts youth participation * Bringing soccer directly into underserved schools and communities * The importance of social-emotional learning in youth sports * Trauma-informed coaching and mentorship * Opening circles, closing circles, and teaching values like grit and joy * Creating pathways beyond playing through referee and coaching development * Building community ecosystems through soccer programming Key Takeaways ✔ Soccer should be accessible to every child ✔ Development is about building the whole person, not just the player ✔ Identity outside of sport matters for long-term well-being ✔ Community and mentorship can change the trajectory of a child’s life ✔ The game can create economic and social mobility when barriers are removed Notable Mentions: * Princeton University * Canadian Women’s National Team * MARTA transit system in Atlanta * Station Soccer initiative * Social-emotional learning in sports * Pay-to-play barriers in youth soccer Connect: Soccer in the Streets [https://www.soccerstreets.org/] 📸 Instagram: @soccerstreets Nonprofit organization equipping Atlanta’s youth through soccer programming, building connections, and providing safe spaces where every child can thrive. 🎙 Hosted by @meganlinkeofficial & @liamlinke18 🎧 Listen now on The Soccer Ladder

21. maj 202618 min

Episode 37: Lou Ruffien — From the French National Team to Harvard Soccer

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