North Carolina State University Athletics
Nearing the Finnish Line
10/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
Oct. 4, 2004
Mia Hamm is a household name for women's soccer. Little girls for countless years have admired the flare and deception Hamm has displayed before ripping a shot out of the reach of the goalkeepers' hands into the back of the net. Her talent, enthusiasm and passion for the game has opened doors for women's soccer in the United States and allowed players, like NC State senior forward Anna Helenius, more opportunities to excel at the next level. Making her senior year count, Helenius hopes to emulate Hamm and lead the Pack to an NCAA Tournament bid.
"Mia is a great role model and soccer player," said Helenius. "She's done so much for the women's game and has led the way to bring soccer to a whole new level internationally. When you watch her play it is inspirational and motivating for us to try to reach her level as a player."
As a high school exchange student from the suburbs of Turku, Finland Helenius experienced living in the United States for the first time and had always considered playing collegiate soccer. She attended and played soccer for a year at Ridge High School in Basking Ridge, New Jersey before returning to Finland for two years to complete her studies. It was just a matter of time before head coach Laura Kerrigan discovered her talent and enticed Helenius to become a member of the Wolfpack family.
"Anna brings a level of professionalism to the team," said Kerrigan. "She grew up in a culture immersed in the sport and has seen soccer played at the highest level. She is tactically and technically savvy and that has resulted in many goals for our team over the past two years."
It is a good thing Helenius came to NC State. The women's soccer team is off to its best start since 1991, when the squad won 14-straight to begin the year. The 2004 squad has won six-straight, the most since a six-game streak in 1996.
"I had some options as to where I wanted to go to school and when I came to Raleigh I fell in love with the area," Helenius said. "Playing in the ACC, you face the best teams and players in the country day in and day out. It is a good measure of your abilities and of the teams."
Recently the Pack traveled to play its first conference match against Atlantic Coast Conference newcomer Miami, returning to Raleigh victorious. The conference expanded to add the Hurricanes and Virginia Tech, and Helenius is excited about what that can mean for the ACC.
"The ACC is the best conference in the nation for women's soccer and the addition of two talented and competitive teams has only strengthened it," Helenius said.
Helenius has so far contributed impressive statistical numbers for the pack, leading the team in goals (6), assists (6), shots (29) and total points (18). She spent the greater part of last season as a midfielder and has since moved up top as a forward. Helenius credits a lot of her success to her preparation over the summer while playing for the Sporting Club Raiso in the Finnish Premier League, the highest level of women's soccer in her native country. Helenius finished the summer as her clubs assist leader and helped guide the team to a third place finish overall. Her international experience has proven to be a great asset for NC State and her maturity as a player will undoubtedly help guide the young Wolfpack, which is comprised of mostly freshmen and sophomores, into postseason play.
"I love having all of the players and coaches share a common goal," Helenius said. "Everyone is dedicated to having a successful program and season. I really believe that our team will go far this year."
Helenius is not only a force on the soccer field but in the classroom as well. She has taken the transition from her native language to attending an English speaking university exceptionally. The Finland native has an overall 3.8 GPA in sociology and was recently showcased as the Caterpillar Student-Athlete. A member of the Dean's List and ACC Honor Roll, Helenius will pursue her master's degree in elementary education in Finland.
She hasn't ruled out playing soccer in other countries upon graduation, particularly in Europe. Helenius' passion for traveling has already taken her halfway across the world, allowing her to see most of Europe, Scandinavia and North America. However, the thought of playing European soccer intrigues her.
"I would love the opportunity to play soccer in Europe. Since the WUSA is not around, many players are opting to picked up by international clubs," Helenius said. "If I get the opportunity I would play as long as possible and my first pick would be Spain because of its location and culture."
Helenius already speaks Finnish, English and Swedish fluently and has a strong command of the French and Spanish languages. Her ability to speak various foreign languages has also aided her in her travels.
"I feel very comfortable traveling in other countries and being away from my family because there is not a big language barrier," remarked Helenius. "It is still nice to go home for Christmas and summer but the experience in the United States and NC State has been immeasurable to me."
The "finnish" line is approaching for the senior forward from Finland, but she is determined not to leave Raleigh without making an impact academically and athletically.
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