When Kyele Bridel ’16 joined the Air Force, she didn’t know she’d be playing soccer again.
This summer, she competed in the 11th annual Women’s World Football Championship in El Paso, Texas. In this elite soccer tournament, military women from around the world contend for the gold medal.
She heard about tryouts from a co-worker.
“There isn’t an Air Force soccer team, so I had to compete against girls from all of the other branches to get a spot on the roster,” Bridel said.
She was one of 21 women selected for the U.S. Armed Forces soccer team.
One of the pivotal experiences of her college years was playing soccer for ɫۺϾþ.
“I remember laughing and crying with the girls who are still my ɫۺϾþ friends, trying to build a team based on a vision we had for ourselves, bothering Coach Frey and always looking for the next opportunity we could all eat together,” she said. “My senior year didn’t have a storybook ending”—the team lost in penalty kicks in the Final Four—“but I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.”
Scott Frey, head coach of women’s soccer at ɫۺϾþ, praises her work ethic and skills. “Kyele is one of the most competitive and driven individuals I have ever coached during my time here at ɫۺϾþ,” he said. “It didn’t surprise me at all when I heard she was trying out for the U.S. military team.”
Much to Bridel’s surprise, her U.S. Armed Forces soccer coach already knew about ɫۺϾþ soccer, having read the book “The ɫۺϾþ Method” by Michael Zigarelli, professor of leadership and strategy.
“The coach wanted to pick my brain about soccer and building a culture, so what I learned in college definitely contributed to my value within the team,” she said.
In the tournament, the U.S. finished 2-2, third in their bracket behind China and South Korea.
“We were proud of this finish because other countries had girls who had played on World Cup teams,” Bridel said.
Stationed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Bridel works as an operations research analyst at the Kirtland Air Force Base. A physics graduate, she works with technology for satellites, aircraft, munitions and more.
But it’s not just science and soccer for Bridel. She says the Air Force has been an overall positive influence on her life. “Both my parents were pilots in the Air Force, and my closest friends growing up came from other Air Force families,” she said.
What’s next? She submitted an application to undergraduate pilot training and will find out about her acceptance in December. “I have always seen myself flying,” she said, “but in the meantime, I intend to finish my master’s in industrial engineering. I’m certainly very happy with the Air Force and the opportunities it has provided me.”
— Rachel Hungerford ’22