DURHAM, N.C.– Growing up in the small town of Sherman, Texas, Cameron Roller faced numerous challenges. Each day, the aspiring soccer star, her younger brother, and their mother would pile into the car and embark on a nearly two-hour drive to Dallas for training, all while juggling school responsibilities.
Her love for the game was evident from an early age, although pursuing her soccer dreams was challenging, this was a cycle that Roller embraced.
That dedication she first showed for the game at the age of three has now carried over into her college career and it’s evident that it’s only going up from here.
Roller’s dedication to soccer was clear from the very beginning. Recognizing that training required significant effort from everyone in the Roller family, she felt unwavering support from all sides.
“Soccer was a commitment I made early on, and my parents really made sure that it happened for me. I absolutely couldn’t have done it without them,” Roller reflected. “Where I’m from, there’s nothing close by – everything is at least an hour away – so it required a lot of sacrifice, especially from my entire family, for me to pursue soccer and ultimately get to where I am today.”
Soccer wasn’t Roller’s only sport. She also played basketball to spend time with friends, since her school didn’t have a soccer team, and took up track to improve her fitness. However, her passion for soccer never wavered. She knew it was her true calling and was determined to excel at it.
Roller’s determination was evident when her breakthrough came right before the COVID-19 pandemic, having secured a spot at the U-15 National Team Training Camp. This captured the attention of many who began to follow her journey.
Though the COVID-19 pandemic brought a temporary pause, it never derailed her progress.
“Right before COVID, I went into my first National Team camp and that opened my eyes in the sense of confidence for myself, because growing up, there were teams I didn’t make,” said Roller. “There were so many ups and downs where I honestly lacked confidence and even motivation. I’ve been in spots where I was like, ‘do I even really want to play soccer?’ And so after going into that camp and getting the whole year and a half to basically just play…
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