COMPILED BY DIRRIBA TESHOME
Naomi Girma was born in San Jose, California from Girma Aweke and Seble Demissie, both of whom emigrated from Ethiopia in their teens. She has one older brother, Nathaniel. And she was introduced to soccer through the Ethiopian soccer community in the Bay Area, called Maleda Soccer.
As she grew up, she played for her high school club. She was 2018 graduate of Pioneer High School in San Jose, California. She captained her high school team from 2016 to 2018. She has also played Club Soccer for CV Crossfire from 2014 to 2016 and for De Anza Force and CA Thorns Academy from 2016 to 2018. She became Second at nationals with De Anza Force in 2016.
Her national team experience is also very outstanding. She was one of the Under 20 women’s national team of Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) Qualifiers in Trinidad and Tobago in 2018. She also won Under-19 women’s national team NSWI Cup CFA International Tournament in China 2017.
As well, she was a member of the Under-17 women’s national team CONCACAF qualifiers in 2016 Grenada as well as the under-17 women’s national team of 2016 World Cup in Jordan.
In 20202, US Under-20 Women’s National Team captain Naomi Girma, who attended her first full US Women’s National Team camp has been voted the 2020 US Soccer Young Female Player of the Year.
Naomi, who played a major part in helping Stanford win the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship in 2019 as the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, was the leader of the US defense during the 2020 Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) U-20 Women’s Championship.
As a team captain, Naomi started six games during the World Cup qualifying tournament to help the USA earn a berth to the since-cancelled 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup and win the regional title, defeating Mexico, 4-1 in the championship game.
She finished third on the team in minutes played while marshaling a back line that played an instrumental part in allowing just one goal. The USA went 545 shutout minutes in the tournament before allowing that score.
“It’s been such a crazy year, but it’s always an honor to represent the USA and I’m proud of what our team was able to accomplish at the beginning of the year in Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) qualifying even though the World Cup got cancelled,” said Naomi.
“While the year didn’t go as planned, I’m especially thankful for the coaches and the medical staff who helped keep us playing some soccer and to be mentioned along with the past winners is very cool and humbling. Of course, my family – my parents and brother – have been so supportive, along with my Stanford family and the U-20 WNT family, so I’ll always appreciate everything they’ve contributed to me as a person and a player.”
In her second and final U-20 cycle, Naomi was the third most experienced player on the team with 31 U-20 international caps. Naomi is only the second pure defender to win the award in its 23-year existence.
Her college season for Stanford – in what would have been her junior year – was postponed to the Spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic so she did not play in a college match this Fall, but in October, Naomi attended her first full U.S. Women’s National Team training camp, which took place in Colorado.
Fifteen U.S. Soccer Young Female Players of the Year have gone on to play in a senior level Women’s World Cup for the USA. The first winner, back in 1998, was current US Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone.
“First and foremost, Naomi Girma is a great person and a fantastic leader,” said US Under-20 Women’s National Team head coach Laura Harvey. “She is highly respected by her teammates and the kind of player who always puts the team first. On the field, she is smart, brave and always pushing to improve. I know it’s rare for a defender to win this award, but it’s a credit to the impact she has on the field and on the people around her.”
Votes for US Soccer Player of the Year awards are collected from respective National Team coaches, National Team players who have earned a cap in 2020, members of the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors, US Soccer Athletes’ Council, National Women’s Soccer League head coaches (for the USWNT awards) and American soccer league (MLS and USL) head coaches (for the USMNT awards), select media members and former players and administrators.
The Ethiopian Herald January 26/2021
