Canadian sophomore Adri Showler was born on the same day as Pelé, one of the world's greatest soccer players who helped Brazil win the World Cup at the tender age of 17. At only four years old, Showler started playing soccer in her hometown of Ottawa, Ontario. By eight, she was on a competitive club team, and now she is the starting outside midfield on the women's soccer team.

Growing up in Canada, Showler's soccer experiences were different from those of the other players on the team. She has played soccer in the freezing cold, in snowdrifts and wearing snow pants.

"Once they even had to plow the field before a game," Showler said, "so we literally played on ice." She has even played soccer on cross-country skis.

At one point growing up, Showler was on three soccer teams at the same time-club, high school and a regional select team. She also made the final cut at provincials in the Québec League Elite. She plays club soccer on a French Canadian team called S.C. Outaouais, where the players speak French at practices and in games. Showler also starts as outside midfield with the Canadian team and played with the team over this past summer. Last year, S.C. Outaouais went to the Canadian nationals and placed fifth.

Showler had the opportunity to coach her high school team at Lisgar Collegiate Institute for a year. The teachers at her school were involved in a struggle with the administration; they refused to participate in any activities besides teaching as a sort of strike. Parents could step in to coach their children's teams, but there were no parents ready to coach a varsity soccer team. Showler had been captain of the varsity team for three out of the four years, and she stepped in as coach for her final year at the school. With Showler's leadership, the team had its best year in history, advancing to Provincials where they placed seventh in the province.

Showler also played on a regional select team for four years. The three teams together, overlapping for parts of the spring, sometimes required three practices a day. She also found time to learn how to referee, and now works as a Class 3 Referee in Canada over the summer, in addition to playing on her club team.

Last season, Showler was the starting striker on Amherst's team. She scored the goal against Hobart and William Smith Colleges that put Amherst in the Final Four, and also scored the first goal in the Amherst-Williams game to win the NESCAC Title. This season, Showler has picked up right where she left off, scoring first for the Jeffs in each of Amherst's first two games.

Co-captain Kate Shipley '03 feels as though Showler's move to midfield this season has opened up more opportunities for the talented sophomore. "She's doing a great job in the midfield," Shipley said. "She's been able to get the ball more and she's seeing the field really well right now."

Showler is one of a kind. Her "weird, quirky soccer habits" are something of a legend. She is known to "dribble a soccer ball around while listening to Nine Inch Nails" or even jazz in her house and her dorm. She plays jazz sax and loves to listen to jazz with a ball before the games to get mentally prepared.

And the soccer team enjoys Adri's unique way of letting her teammates know where she is at all times, yelling "Adrienne's ball!" instead of the conventional "I got it!" when the ball comes her way.

And when the ball does come her way, Showler's practice and "great work ethic," said Shipley, help her find the back of the net.