Feb. 16, 2009

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Former Maryland All-American Emily Janss is preparing for the inaugural season of the WPS (Women's Professional Soccer). Below is a Q&A with Janss as she gets ready to play for the Washington Freedom.

Q: How are you feeling now as the WPS is preparing for its inaugural season, compared to the feeling in 2002 prior to the start of the WUSA?

Janss: I feel anxious and excited to get our season underway, but not nearly as nervous as I had been during the WUSA days.

Q: How does the re-launching of women's professional soccer in the United States affect the mind-set of current youth and college players?

Janss: Girls of all ages will be able to watch their role models up close and personal and have another level to strive for in their playing careers. College players can realistically look to play at the next level and have a chance to achieve it. It is a reality now ... I am hoping we will have a huge growth of the sport for girls due to the WPS starting.

Q: You played with the Freedom in the W-League for four years - how does it feel to have been drafted by them now as a WPS team?

Janss: Being able to "Live the Dream," describes it well. It's really exciting to be able to be playing here in DC. It is very rewarding to have been drafted by the Freedom, because I have committed and sacrificed over the years and it all has come back around.

Q: What do you know about the foreign internationals on the Freedom?

Janss: I believe our coaching staff has signed some very high quality players that will bring different experience levels and skills to our team. I am looking forward to playing with Sawa. I have always respected her since having played against her when she was playing in the WUSA.

Q: A midfielder most of your soccer life, it seems that you have been transformed into a defender. How difficult has that transition been for you?

Janss: It actually has been a lot of fun, but challenging at times learning to play on the outside in the back. Right back is a position that I hadn't played before. I have always been a versatile player, almost to a fault. I had coaches over the years tell me they wanted me on the field they just didn't know where they were going to put me. So I feel like I have found a home playing as the right back. I have some freedom to go forward and help out in the attack, which I love to be able to do.

Q: Other than training and playing with the Freedom over the last fours, how else have you been keeping yourself busy?

Janss: I have been keeping busy by getting involved in such things as: Teaching Health and PE at The Congressional Schools of Virginia for the past year, played professionally over in Denmark for Fortuna Hjorring for a season, being an assistant coach for the University of Arkansas and the University of Maryland, coaching youth club for Bethesda Soccer Club and OBGC ages U-8 through U-14 and being an assists coach at St. John's College High School.

Q: What sorts of things are you currently doing in order to prepare for the start of pre-season on March 1?

Janss: I have been playing co-ed a couple nights a week since the fall, as well as running long distance a couple days a week. I have spent two to three days out of the week each week concentrating on improving my overall speed, agility and strength. In the next two weeks I am planning to try to play as much as I can to prepare my overall game and touch.