1– Photo courtesy of VT Athletics: Former Virginia Tech soccer star Jaylyn Thompson returned to the United States just prior to the travel ban after her professional career was affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
It was supposed to be one of the greatest times of her life.
Virginia Tech women’s soccer player Jaylyn Thompson had completed her final season with the Hokies in 2019 and graduated in December for this specific opportunity: Her chance to go overseas to play professionally. So she boarded a plane in mid-January 2020 and set off for Spain to play for the Zaragoza CFF.
She trained with the team and made her first professional start just a few days after she arrived, good enough to be thrown into the mix right away. Thompson started and played every minute of the season’s first five matches.
But then the coronavirus changed everything.
From Voorhees, New Jersey, Thompson decided to return to the United States, which turned out to be a good decision. As of last week, Spain’s death total from the coronavirus was the second highest in the world.
Below is a Q&A session with Thompson, who celebrated her birthday Tuesday. She talks about her experiences over the past two months, about playing with Zaragoza, about living in Spain and about how the pandemic affected her and the team.
Q: Overall, how was your experience in Spain playing with Zaragoza CFF?
JT: "My experience in Spain and with the team for the past two months was something that is beyond words. I was exposed to a completely different culture, and I was able to learn so much about their country and about myself along the way.
“I was lucky enough to do some traveling not only with my team but on my own with a few of my other teammates, and some of the sights I saw and the experiences I had were ones I will never forget. Spain has so much to see, and I feel as though I had only scratched the surface. I forced myself to branch out and try things out of my comfort zone, and I am very happy I did. It took a while but by the time I had to leave, it felt like Zaragoza was becoming a little home for me in Spain, and I had finally gotten comfortable living a more European lifestyle. I was super lucky with the team I was on and had a ton of resources and people looking out for me along the way making sure I enjoyed the experience and had everything I needed."
Q: So, do you speak any Spanish? How did you deal with the language barrier in training or matches?
JT: "Going in, I pretty much spoke no Spanish at all and could not understand anything, so I knew it was going to be an interesting first few weeks. What was surprising to me was how easy it was for me to pick up the language once I was fully immersed in the culture. Even though I was only there for two months, I made major improvements and could understand the basics of anything that was said to me. The club also gave us Spanish lessons, and our trainers, coaches, and a few of the girls were very helpful in translating and helping the American girls on the team know what was going on."
Q: How much did you play and how did those matches compare to playing for Virginia Tech in the ACC?
JT: "I started and played every minute of the five matches that I was there for. My first game was a few days after I arrived, so this was a little unnerving, but it was probably best for me to be thrown right into the mix to adjust as fast as I could. The style of play is completely different at this level and in Europe. Their game is way more technical, and I could tell that the players there have spent a substantial amount of time with the ball at their feet.
"In the United States, the game is more physical and relies a lot on athleticism. With that being said, I got a yellow card in the first few minutes of my first game, so I quickly had to adjust to a less physical and more technical version of myself. Playing in those games and these types of situations allowed me to learn how to read the game in a different way and play quicker in different situations.
“Playing at a high level each game with Virginia Tech definitely helped me adjust as fast as I did in Spain. I had the awesome opportunity to play against great players in the ACC, and this allowed me to be ready for very technical and very savvy Spanish players."
Q: Since the season ended early, what were you told about the future? Will you be able to return and would you?
JT: "As of right now, we are being told that the remaining eight games of our season will be played. I am happy about this and excited to get the chance to build on all that I have learned while I was there for two months. It is crazy to think, but I feel as though I am a completely different player than I was at Tech, and I’ve sort of evolved and matured into a player that I have to be while playing with and against some of the talent in Spain. The coaches there have been so helpful in explaining and guiding me through a different style of play, and it has been an eye-opening and awesome style to learn."
Q: So, how did the whole situation hit the organization? When/how did you find out about the issues and what were your first reactions?
JT: "Everything happened very fast while I was there. One minute, we were talking about our options and different scenarios that could arise, and the next minute I was on a train and a plane on my way back to America. My first reaction was to stay calm and assess my options regarding what was currently going on around the world. It was nerve-wracking being so far from home once things began to escalate, but I had a lot of support ready to help get me home if I needed to. I was very grateful for that."
Q: When did you return to the U.S.? Are you at home in Jersey? How did your travel go?
JT: "I returned to the United States on March 13 and I am currently in New Jersey. I got back a few hours before the travel ban. It took me about 40 hours to make it home. It was exhausting, of course, but I was relieved to get home safe and sound. Traveling during this time was nothing short of an experience, and it will definitely be something I will not forget."
Q: What if anything, were you limited to, since you came in from an international country?
JT: "Since I came from an international country and an area that was hit very hard during this pandemic, I was encouraged to self-quarantine for 14 days. I had also visited Madrid the weekend before, and this area was hit pretty hard, so a quarantine was definitely appropriate to monitor my health and make sure I had not been affected."
Q: Spain is now one of the hardest hit countries in the world. How is that making you feel?
JT: "Spain was definitely substantially affected by the virus. For me, this is a little scary, and it makes me worry about all of the people I met while I was there. I was living in a city, and I knew that could be an area that could be hit hard by the virus because of the close proximity of everything. They are all quarantined there now, and I have been hoping and praying everyone stays safe."
Q: Are you still in contact with any of the players that are in Spain? If so, what are their thoughts and concerns?
JT: "My team meets three times a week to do a video workout, so I get to see all of the girls and my coaches and trainers. At the moment, I think all of us are just focused on our health and the health of our families and loved ones and viewing that as a first priority. We definitely all miss the game and each other, but we understand the difficulty and severity of what is going on around the world and that social distancing and quarantining is what is best right now."
