Emma with Lauren Sesselmann
By David Bayer
We’re back to the Beat, but not just any Beat player…an original Beat player. In fact, the only original Beat player still with the team. (Lori Chalupny joined mid-season in 2010) As such, we’ve had many occasions to meet Lauren ( Emma must have a couple hundred of her autographs), but this was our first “real” conversation.
Lauren Sesselmann – Forward – Atlanta Beat
Birth date: August 14, 1983
Hometown: Green Bay, Wisconsin
Nickname: “Sess” or “Sessy”
Age she started soccer: 7th grade. She played a lot of basketball, and then her mother “forced” her to try soccer. “I threw a boy on the ground, scored a goal, and I said ‘this is what I want to do.’”
College: Purdue – Marketing and advertising
Career after soccer: “I have a lot of aspirations. I would like to own my own businesses someday – a hotel, restaurant, bar, clothing line.” Also interested in sports marketing and advertising. She’s currently working to connect entertainers and athletes with small businesses.
Why she wears number 24: Likes having even numbers and wanted a four as part of it.
Favorite pregame foods: Doesn’t eat much (salad, lean protein, fruit). Has a “huge” breakfast – oatmeal, egg whites, turkey sausage, orange juice and “tons” of fruit.
Workout music: All types – rap, hip hop, country. Her ultimate favorite is Josh Groban.
Superstitions: Gets dressed left side first with everything…shin guards, socks, tape, etc.
Favorite Cartoon Character: My Little Pony
Favorite Movie: “Coach Carter” and “Goal”
Favorite Actress: Sandra Bullock (who she had the pleasure of meeting)
Favorite Color: All shades of pink
Something people may not know about Lauren: She loves to sing. She sang the National Anthem at some of her high school and college games. She has done a lot of acting and musical theater.
Mentor: Her dad. “We’re two peas in a pod. We’re exactly alike. He’s such a go-getter and it has pawned off on me.” Her housemates, Carli Lloyd, Heather Mitts, and Lori Chalupny have taught her a lot.
Favorite Charity or Cause: “I want to get involved in everything I can…until I see something that sticks out to me. I do want to start my own. It’s always been a dream of mine. She mentioned helping smaller communities gain funds needed to have adequate sport facilities. “Sports keeps kids out of a lot of trouble.”
Life Motto: “But I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, his greatest fulfillment of all he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle-victorious.” -Vince Lombardi
Lauren in the words of teammate Keeley Dowling : On the field – “Tough.” Off the field – “Bubbly”
Lauren in the words of Atlanta Coach James Galanis: “…a special human being. She appreciates everything she has and everyone around her. No matter if she is playing or not, Sess is there to encourage and spur on her teammates. She will give you 100 percent effort at all times. Sess is fearless on the field and will never back away from a challenge. Her heart is like a lion.”
If I had to choose two words to describe Lauren, they would be “ambitious” and “driven”. Coach Galanis mentioned that she will never back away from a challenge on the field. I got the same feeling about how she handles her off the field activities. She mentioned many goals to us, and I would not bet against her achieving every one of them.
Thanks Sess!