FORT MYERS, Fla. – As the summer rolls along, many college students find themselves at home, working a summer job or resting after a long year of school.
 
Several Florida Gulf Coast women's soccer players, though, are seizing the opportunity to prepare further for the 2026 campaign by playing club soccer during their time away from Fort Myers.
 
Sarah Greiner is spending her third summer with coach Campbell Chapman at Decatur FC in Decatur, Georgia. The Miami transfer and Braselton, Georgia, native played with largely the same group of teammates growing up in club soccer, and that continued after they departed for a collection of Division I programs.
 
"My favorite part of summer soccer is how much fun you get to have," Greiner said. "My teammates and I grew up playing together, so it's a great group of girls. Every day is filled with so much joy while still staying competitive."


 
Summer soccer increasingly draws in more fans as the sport grows in popularity in the US, as Decatur FC has notched attendance records during Greiner's time with the squad. The presence of fans, many of whom are aspiring athletes themselves, doesn't go unnoticed to Greiner.
 
"My other favorite part of summer soccer is watching the younger generation aspire to be in our shoes one day," Greiner said. "Decatur FC has a huge community presence and we have numerous kids come up after games for pictures and autographs."
 
The growing attendance at summer club soccer games isn't limited to Georgia. Kate Friday has played in front of 6,077 fans this summer at a sold-out Highmark Stadium for coach Scott Gibson's Riveters, based out of Pittsburgh.
 
One of the Eagles' captains for 2026 alongside Lily Borders and Hanna Phillips, Friday is pushed to grow both as a player and as a leader by her club teammates, over 20 of whom also play Division I soccer.
 
"I grow the most by playing in competitive matches and learning from different coaches and teammates," Friday said. "Being around high-level players challenges me to improve technically, tactically, and mentally every day. Not only that, but every single player is very competitive and with that they push me to be more competitive. Most of the girls on the team are captains at their own schools, so bringing leaders together sort of gives us the cream of the crop of college soccer overall on and off the field."


 
Like Greiner and many of her other FGCU teammates, Friday finds joy in returning to her hometown to compete and grow with her lifelong friends.
 
"By far my favorite part of summer soccer is the girls and the environment," Friday said. "I have been best friends with several of the girls since club soccer when we were about 9 years old, and getting the opportunity to live and play together in Pittsburgh has made the experience even more special. Being surrounded by some of my closest friends, who are also incredible athletes, creates a competitive and supportive atmosphere every day. They constantly push me to improve, challenge me to be better, and help me grow both as a player and as a teammate."
 
Another common thread among Eagles playing summer club soccer is that it helps them maintain and improve their conditioning and skills ahead of the 2026 season. Taylor Latini is playing for head coach Kameron Edwards and the currently undefeated Florida Premier FC, and noted the importance of the competitive time on the pitch.
 
"Club soccer in the summer helps me prepare for the fall because it keeps me game fit," Latini said. "I get to play alongside other girls in college, so it's a competitive level … The extra game experience during summer league helps me keep up my development as a player."
 
"Playing for Decatur FC allows me to come into the preseason for FGCU as prepared as possible," Greiner added. "I am getting game-like fitness and touches on a ball that cannot be replicated without playing."
 
Ryanne Robinson and Tessa Brooks play over 800 miles apart – in Jacksonville, Florida, and Dayton, Ohio, respectively – but both reap the benefits of playing with new teammates in the summer.


 
Robinson, who plays for coach Lewis Amos at Sporting JAX, is using the summer to build off her Third Team All-ASUN and ASUN All-Freshman team selections in 2025.
 
"We have a bunch of players from different colleges and backgrounds," Robinson said. "It's nice getting to learn and adapt to different styles of play.
 
"I love getting to know this team and these girls. Building relationships with them while playing the game I love is my favorite part of summer soccer."
 
Brooks, who plays for coach Jacob Morrison at the Dayton Dutch Lions, shares Robinson's sentiment.
 
"My favorite part of summer soccer is meeting and playing with so many new people," Brooks said. "It's a great opportunity to build new relationships while also enjoying the game and improving as a player."
 
Whether playing with teammates new or old, the relationships formed will prepare FGCU well, as women's soccer seeks its ninth NCAA Tournament appearance in 2026. Season tickets to catch Greiner, Friday, Latini, Robinson, Brooks and all of the Eagles in action at Pickering Field in 2026 are available now.
 
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets for the FGCU 2026 soccer campaigns are on sale now, and you can take advantage of two full season schedules with one ticket. With plans beginning at only $60, you get access to all home FGCU men's and women's soccer games at Pickering Field. By securing your season tickets now, you can save over 60% compared to purchasing single-game tickets for FGCU soccer.

The full schedule for FGCU women's soccer, along with ticket mini-plans, is expected to be released soon.
 
For more information on FGCU women's soccer, follow @FGCU_WSoccer on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook, and visit fgcuathletics.com.