Photo by: Greg Mintel
#PackPros – Catching Up With Franziska Jaser
2/19/2021 12:20:00 PM | Women's Soccer
GoPack.com recently caught up with #PackPro Franziska Jaser (2014) to see what life has been life since she signed her first professional contract in 2015. The following is a Q&A series about her experience since leaving NC State.
Q: Take us through your journey since you turned pro in 2015. What teams have you been with and for how long?
A: "When I left NC State, I went to play for Freiburg in the German Bundesliga for one season. After that I transferred to (FC Basel) Basel, Switzerland, where I stayed for four years. In summer 2020 I traveled to (Kristianstads DFF) Kristianstad, Sweden, to help out their team until the end of the season. After playing abroad for about five years, I decided to return to Germany in December 2020 to play with Werder Bremen.
Jaser with FC Basel
Q: You most recently signed a contract with Werder Bremen, which is where #PackPro Ricci Walkling landed after graduation. You two have known each other for a long time prior to the change, so how nice has it been for you two to be able to reconnect?
A: "We've known each other for more than 10 years now, and we've been able to stay in touch wherever our paths led us. It's awesome though that our soccer paths cross again now, since we didn't get to play at NC State together (because I left right before she started). Sometimes, unexpected things happen in soccer, and in this case it's just amazing because I not only like her as a person but also like her playing style, so I'm looking forward to the rest of the season fighting for every point together."
Jaser with Werder Bremen
Q: What has your experience been like so far with Werder Bremen? Is it nice to be back in your home country?
A: "Being with Werder Bremen has been good so far. The preseason went well, and I got to play the first game of spring season which has also been the only one so far.
"Honestly, it does not really feel different than being in Sweden or in Switzerland yet since we're not supposed to travel within the country and people are not allowed to watch our games due to the pandemic, but it's nice knowing that my family and friends are kind of close to Bremen. Hopefully they'll be able to come to the stadium soon, now that I 'finally' play for a German team again. It would be amazing to hear their voices cheering from the stands."
Q: With everything that has happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, do you feel like you have some type of normalcy of being able to have a season despite the changes and protocols that have been put in place?
A: "Fortunately, since we're part of a professional league we've been able to practice and play games just as usual apart from a few rules. We're really grateful for that, and we absolutely accept the restrictions and are aware of our responsibilities."
Q: Of the different organizations you have been with, what would you say is the biggest difference between them? Likewise, are there any consistencies between them all?
A: "It's been a great and super interesting journey for me so far. The club I played for in Switzerland (FC Basel) is located in a big city and is the biggest Swiss club. Therefore, we had several well-maintained grass and turf fields with lots of different equipment and could use the club's weight room. In contrast to that, the Swedish team (Kristianstads DFF) was a really small women's soccer club in a very cute little town, only founded in 1998. They use a – by American standards – small public facility, share their clothes, and the whole town somehow tries to support the club in different ways. It was amazing to see and feel the spirit and mentality of this club, forming a basis for their tremendous success.
"So, the biggest difference in my opinion was definitely to be found in the facilities. The style of strength and conditioning training also varied a lot, which was interesting to see and has helped me figure out what works best for me.
"Both the Swiss and the Swedish organizations were able to sign me as a full professional, which is not necessarily given at every club in Europe. This gave me the opportunity to work out individually and to prepare well for every team session, which is very important for me."
Jaser with Kristianstads DFF
Q: Prior to NC State, you had extensive experience playing at an elite level with the German national team and Bayern Munich. How do you think that helped in your transition to playing collegiate and even professional soccer? Did it force you to have to mature both on and off the field?
A: "It definitely forced me to mature both on and off the field, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It just happens automatically when you travel to camps all over the country by yourself from the age of 15. In addition to the development off the field, playing at an elite level lifts your knowledge of the game onto another level and introduces you to more advanced training contents and intensities.
"In general, those experiences definitely helped in my transition to playing collegiate and professional soccer since I had already been used to traveling, had gotten to know different playing styles and had gotten in touch with weightlifting. It certainly turned out to be a huge advantage coming to NC State."
Q: At NC State, even though your time here was short, you certainly made an impact on the field and among the program. What was the experience like for you?
A: "The whole year was absolutely awesome and leaving to go pro has been one of the toughest decisions I have made in my life so far. The beautiful campus and the amazing athletic facilities were breathtaking, and everything I could have ever dreamed of was provided for me as a student-athlete. Besides that, I loved the in-season schedule of playing two games a week as well as the people's attitude towards sports."
Q: Having the opportunity to come to the United States and play soccer while pursuing a degree, it's not something that is offered back home in Germany. Looking back, in what way do you think making the decision to come to NC State has helped you to get to where you are now?
A: "It was amazing to be able to get in touch with the American mentality and work ethic, not only when it came to the players but also to every single coach. No matter what time of the day it was, I could always go talk to them or work out individually. I implemented this mentality into my player profile and I still benefit from it every day."
Q: Anything outside of soccer that you have life updates on?
A: "I graduated in March majoring in media studies. It was interesting and prepared me well for my post-soccer plans. I'd love to become a sports journalist, either moderating the shows inside of the studios or I could also imagine myself traveling to work at sports events directly inside of the stadiums. Apart from that, I've been learning Italian for a few years which is lots of fun. So, who knows, since I've been pretty open to the world, maybe one day I'll be a sports journalist in Italy."
*Photos courtesy of Werder Bremen/FC Basel/Kristianstads DFF
Q: Take us through your journey since you turned pro in 2015. What teams have you been with and for how long?
A: "When I left NC State, I went to play for Freiburg in the German Bundesliga for one season. After that I transferred to (FC Basel) Basel, Switzerland, where I stayed for four years. In summer 2020 I traveled to (Kristianstads DFF) Kristianstad, Sweden, to help out their team until the end of the season. After playing abroad for about five years, I decided to return to Germany in December 2020 to play with Werder Bremen.
Jaser with FC Basel
Q: You most recently signed a contract with Werder Bremen, which is where #PackPro Ricci Walkling landed after graduation. You two have known each other for a long time prior to the change, so how nice has it been for you two to be able to reconnect?
A: "We've known each other for more than 10 years now, and we've been able to stay in touch wherever our paths led us. It's awesome though that our soccer paths cross again now, since we didn't get to play at NC State together (because I left right before she started). Sometimes, unexpected things happen in soccer, and in this case it's just amazing because I not only like her as a person but also like her playing style, so I'm looking forward to the rest of the season fighting for every point together."
Jaser with Werder Bremen
Q: What has your experience been like so far with Werder Bremen? Is it nice to be back in your home country?
A: "Being with Werder Bremen has been good so far. The preseason went well, and I got to play the first game of spring season which has also been the only one so far.
"Honestly, it does not really feel different than being in Sweden or in Switzerland yet since we're not supposed to travel within the country and people are not allowed to watch our games due to the pandemic, but it's nice knowing that my family and friends are kind of close to Bremen. Hopefully they'll be able to come to the stadium soon, now that I 'finally' play for a German team again. It would be amazing to hear their voices cheering from the stands."
Q: With everything that has happened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, do you feel like you have some type of normalcy of being able to have a season despite the changes and protocols that have been put in place?
A: "Fortunately, since we're part of a professional league we've been able to practice and play games just as usual apart from a few rules. We're really grateful for that, and we absolutely accept the restrictions and are aware of our responsibilities."
Q: Of the different organizations you have been with, what would you say is the biggest difference between them? Likewise, are there any consistencies between them all?
A: "It's been a great and super interesting journey for me so far. The club I played for in Switzerland (FC Basel) is located in a big city and is the biggest Swiss club. Therefore, we had several well-maintained grass and turf fields with lots of different equipment and could use the club's weight room. In contrast to that, the Swedish team (Kristianstads DFF) was a really small women's soccer club in a very cute little town, only founded in 1998. They use a – by American standards – small public facility, share their clothes, and the whole town somehow tries to support the club in different ways. It was amazing to see and feel the spirit and mentality of this club, forming a basis for their tremendous success.
"So, the biggest difference in my opinion was definitely to be found in the facilities. The style of strength and conditioning training also varied a lot, which was interesting to see and has helped me figure out what works best for me.
"Both the Swiss and the Swedish organizations were able to sign me as a full professional, which is not necessarily given at every club in Europe. This gave me the opportunity to work out individually and to prepare well for every team session, which is very important for me."
Jaser with Kristianstads DFF
Q: Prior to NC State, you had extensive experience playing at an elite level with the German national team and Bayern Munich. How do you think that helped in your transition to playing collegiate and even professional soccer? Did it force you to have to mature both on and off the field?
A: "It definitely forced me to mature both on and off the field, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It just happens automatically when you travel to camps all over the country by yourself from the age of 15. In addition to the development off the field, playing at an elite level lifts your knowledge of the game onto another level and introduces you to more advanced training contents and intensities.
"In general, those experiences definitely helped in my transition to playing collegiate and professional soccer since I had already been used to traveling, had gotten to know different playing styles and had gotten in touch with weightlifting. It certainly turned out to be a huge advantage coming to NC State."
Q: At NC State, even though your time here was short, you certainly made an impact on the field and among the program. What was the experience like for you?
A: "The whole year was absolutely awesome and leaving to go pro has been one of the toughest decisions I have made in my life so far. The beautiful campus and the amazing athletic facilities were breathtaking, and everything I could have ever dreamed of was provided for me as a student-athlete. Besides that, I loved the in-season schedule of playing two games a week as well as the people's attitude towards sports."
Q: Having the opportunity to come to the United States and play soccer while pursuing a degree, it's not something that is offered back home in Germany. Looking back, in what way do you think making the decision to come to NC State has helped you to get to where you are now?
A: "It was amazing to be able to get in touch with the American mentality and work ethic, not only when it came to the players but also to every single coach. No matter what time of the day it was, I could always go talk to them or work out individually. I implemented this mentality into my player profile and I still benefit from it every day."
Q: Anything outside of soccer that you have life updates on?
A: "I graduated in March majoring in media studies. It was interesting and prepared me well for my post-soccer plans. I'd love to become a sports journalist, either moderating the shows inside of the studios or I could also imagine myself traveling to work at sports events directly inside of the stadiums. Apart from that, I've been learning Italian for a few years which is lots of fun. So, who knows, since I've been pretty open to the world, maybe one day I'll be a sports journalist in Italy."
*Photos courtesy of Werder Bremen/FC Basel/Kristianstads DFF
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