Amelia Kidd can still recall the moment she received an email that would change the trajectory of her soccer journey.
As she scrolled through a large chain email earlier this year, she was only looking for one thing: her name. She looked at name after name until there it was…
“Amelia Kidd.”
She had just made the FC Tucson Women’s team — at 16 years old.
Kidd was already a part of FC Tucson’s youth club squad, but was encouraged by coaches to try out for the professional women’s team. It was a choice she’s glad she made.
“I was so happy that I got to make it,” Kidd said. “And then I didn't think I was gonna get to play much, but I was still on the practice squad, so I was like, ‘OK, that was fun.’ I was excited.”
Tanque Verde's Amelia Kidd, left, rushes to teammate Hutton North to celebrate after ripping home the Hawks’ second score of the night in the first half against Thatcher, Dec. 11, in Tucson.
Kidd is one of the youngest players on the squad.
“I have some good relationships (with my teammates) and they're all super nice,” she said. “And they'll talk to you about colleges or anything like that, and just tell you about, like, what life is like for them and college soccer. So, it’s been really cool to see that.”
Despite going into the role thinking she would only get playtime with the practice team, she was even more excited when she found out that she had made the game squad.
FC Tucson Women finished with a 5-3-1 record this past summer, with Kidd in tow.
“I was happy to be there because I was on the training team and then on the playing team,” she said of making the squad. “Then we got to the locker room and we all had our names on stuff, and then I ended up playing games (where) I would start and play the whole game. So, it's a really cool experience to get to play with these older girls (who) knew more about it. I was just scared of trying not to mess it up for them, but I got to play and have a much harder experience. It was really cool.”
Tanque Verde's Amelia Kidd (10) gets some help getting her ponytail in game shape right before the Hawks host Thatcher, Dec. 11. Kidd scored and assisted in the Hawks’ 3-2 win.
But to understand how Kidd made it to a professional women’s team as a teenager, we have to go back in time.
For the past three years, Kidd has served as a captain on Tanque Verde High School’s varsity girls soccer team. Throughout her time with the team, the midfielder helped lead the Hawks to the state tournament last season, the team’s first state run since the 2017-18 season.
Last season, she was ranked nationally in three categories. Kidd came in at No. 74 for points (90), No. 100 for goals (36) and No. 155 for assists (18). Her career totals include 167 points, 68 goals and 31 assists.
Her goal this season is to beat last year’s goal total, even if it’s just one more.
So far, she’s on track to beat her record. In just four games, she’s already recorded seven goals, including one at last week’s home game against Thatcher, where the Hawks defeated the Eagles, 3-2. She also logged a goal in Tanque Verde’s 4-2 loss against Douglas on Dec. 12.
Since she started playing soccer at the age of 5, the current high school junior says that her love and knowledge of the game have only grown over the years.
“I just understand it more like, what's going on,” she said. “I can see where people need to be and the moves (they need to make) and that kind of thing. I have a better understanding of the game.”
Tanque Verde varsity girls soccer head coach Brian Sheibels has seen Kidd grow both as a player and a person season after season, as she thrived on the soccer field, but also in her willingness to help those around her.
In school, she currently holds a 4.2 GPA, is part of the National Honor Society and is constantly looking for ways to better herself and her Tanque Verde community.
“This young lady is one of the best soccer players in all of Arizona,” Sheibels wrote to the Star when nominating Kidd. “She seems to be looked over due to the size of the school she plays for. Amelia would start, all four years, at any high school in the state. She deserves this kind of recognition.”
Tanque Verde's Amelia Kidd (10), left, tangles with Thatcher's Ali Lorang (13) fighting for the ball in the Eagle box in the first half of their game at Tanque Verde High School.
Over the last couple of seasons, Tanque Verde’s sports programs have been making a name for themselves.
“We had some good sports, but I think within the last three or four years, the sports here at Tanque Verde have really taken a step up,” Sheibels said. “And it was kind of like everybody wanted to play Tanque Verde for homecoming and senior night. But now, as for soccer, there's not many teams that want to play us. So, it's been getting the notoriety that the girls deserve. … It's getting to where we are. We are noticed, but it's neat that we're still that small school.”
Kidd is a big part of Tanque Verde’s athletic rise.
“I'm looking forward to watching these girls compete,” Sheibels said. “It's why I do it. I love to watch them go out and watch them work hard and I love to watch them win. And I love to watch each player, whether it's Amelia or whoever else is out there, just succeed and become better at their craft. So, I'm looking forward to a longer season this year.”
Tanque Verde's Amelia Kidd (10) tries to wedge her way through Thatcher's Ali Lorang (13), left, and Jade Richardson (12) to get to the ball in the second half of their game at Tanque Verde High School.
While soccer is the most prominent sport in Kidd’s life, she’s also a swimmer and a track and field athlete. But she holds soccer closest to her heart.
She wants to play soccer in college after high school graduation. Although she hasn’t made her decision as to what she wants to study in college, she already has a few ideas floating around: biomedical engineering, physical therapy or sports journalism, so she can stay around sports even longer.
“She's such a gifted athlete. She's learned from so many great coaches. I'm more of a motivator for her because there's really not too much that I can teach her. She's such a great player and I motivate her, maybe sometimes give suggestions and force her to kick with her right foot,” Sheibels jokes. “That's about the extent of it. But it's a pleasure to coach a player like her.”
Fast Five with Amelia
Who’s a soccer player you looked up to while growing up?
Carli Lloyd. She was really cool. She played in the midfield when I was younger, so I liked to watch her.
If you could play soccer anywhere in the world, where would you like to play?
At a big stadium like in Barcelona. It’s soccer central there.
What’s your post-game routine?
I just take my stuff off and I'll drink a chocolate milk and just hang out. My team at one point would bring chocolate milk after games and I was like, wait, I like this.
What TV shows are you currently binging?
“The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” “Dancing with the Stars” and “Stranger Things,” all the newest shows.
What’s your current favorite class?
Sports med is a class I'm most interested in, but I like my biology teacher here. Mr. Jones, he's gonna read this. But I like sports med because I’m in that scene and I like to learn about that kind of stuff.
