Chansi Crompton, a starting freshman for the Weber State University women’s soccer team, has been playing soccer since she was 5 years old. Since then, her father, Tim, has been her coach, and he is now her coach for her college career.
Crompton said she has enjoyed playing for her dad throughout her career and is glad she gets the opportunity to play for him in college.
“I really like my dad as a coach,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine it any other way.”
Crompton, who went to Freemont High School, has played for competitive league teams like Advantage and La Roca. While playing for La Roca, Crompton and her team took five state titles and went to regionals and then nationals. During the time spent at nationals, Crompton had a strong performance for La Roca and was voted into the best 11 of the tournament.
Her father coached her at La Roca. The only time Crompton didn’t play for her father was during her high-school career at Fremont. She played center midfield and forward for the Silver Wolves.
While at Fremont, Crompton had a successful career. She made First-Team All-State and First-Team All-Region during high school.
Crompton said it was a change for her to play for someone other than her dad.
“It was a lot different from having my dad as a coach, for sure, but was a good experience,” she said.
Crompton said she chose to come to WSU because many of her former teammates from La Roca chose to, and she wanted to play with them. She said she also wanted her father to continue coaching her.
“I like that my dad is really close to everything,” she said. “I can just go hang out with him.”
Different schools tried recruiting Crompton, but she said her mind was set on WSU.
Tim said that he felt the incoming recruiting class last year, which she was a part of, would help the team improve and could be something special.
“The potential for this group, in combination with the returning players, is unlimited and should be a very special team,” he said.
Crompton said she has found college soccer is much more intense than competitive league soccer. She said her opponents are a lot bigger and more physical than what she is used to.
She also said she has noticed that her dad is a lot more intense at WSU than he was as the La Roca coach. She said she is encouraged to train on her own or work on drills with Tom VudhiVadhana, a former assistant coach who is now a volunteer. Crompton said that has helped her succeed this year.
She also said the traveling is stressful for her as a freshman, because a lot of time is spent on the road, missing classes for games.
“I feel a little behind and like I’m never at school,” she said.
Crompton said she likes playing collegiate soccer. She said she really enjoys the quality of the fields and playing under the lights.
WSU’s next match will be this Saturday at home when it takes on Northern Arizona University.
