California Golden Bears Athletics
Junior Emily Smith has earned multiple All-Pac-12 and All-Academic honors throughout her career in Berkeley.
Solution Oriented
10/23/2019 3:51 PM | Women's Soccer, Inside The Lair
Emily Smith Brings Passion For Problem Solving To the Pitch And Classroom
This feature originally appeared in the 2019 Fall edition of the Cal Sports Quarterly. The Cal Athletics flagship magazine features long-form sports journalism at its finest and provides in-depth coverage of the scholar-athlete experience in Berkeley. Printed copies are mailed four times a year to Bear Backers who give annually at the Bear Club level (currently $600 or more). For more information on how you can receive a printed version of the Cal Sports Quarterly at home, send an email to CalAthleticsFund@berkeley.edu or call (510) 642-2427.
Emily Smith loves problem solving.
As a central defender for the Cal women's soccer team, that means figuring out how to stop some of the most prolific attackers in both the conference and the country.
Off the pitch, the challenge is no simpler.
Smith, a junior from Los Gatos, is majoring in applied mathematics with an intended minor in data science, and embraces the rigors of her course load with the same passion and focus she brings on the soccer field.
"I've always loved math," Smith said. "Ever since I was a kid, it's been something I've always found really interesting. I kept taking math classes once I got [to Cal], and I just never stopped."
On the field, the math is simple. Zero goals allowed for the opponent equals a positive result for the Golden Bears. In the classroom, the equations are much more complex, but the end result no less satisfying.
"Numbers are very objective," Smith explained. "There's always a right answer, and I love the challenge of solving different problems and taking new approaches to come up with the solution. It's very rewarding, and I think you could draw a connection between [math and soccer]. Especially as a defender, it's all about problem solving. You have to be able to take different approaches to winning the game."
More often than not, she has been able to come up with correct solution in both arenas.
A member of the U.S. Women's National Team that competed at the 2016 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup in Jordan, Smith earned All-Pac-12 and all-region recognition as a freshman and has been a mainstay in the Bears' backline since her arrival on campus. Smith has served as a team co-captain the last two seasons and this season became the first player in conference history to earn Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors three times in a single season.
Her performance in the classroom has been equally stellar, earning first-team Pac-12 All-Academic and Academic all-district recognition in 2018. Smith was also presented with the Golden Bear Achievement Award this past spring for having the highest cumulative GPA on the team. She credits her success in the classroom to proactive communication and collaboration.
"It's really about just working with professors," Smith said.
"Luckily, I've had really great professors here at Cal who are willing to accommodate my athletic needs in terms of being flexible with having to make up exams if we're on the road and being available during office hours."
Smith was able to combine her two passions this summer, interning for Sparta Science, a sport technology company that uses data to analyze and optimize athlete performance. It's a trend Smith hopes to continue, her sights set on playing professionally, graduate school and a possible career in data science or data analytics waiting when she hangs up her cleats.
Whether juggling multivariable calculus or a talented opponent, Smith is rarely without an answer. That is, except when asked which would be more exciting: scoring a game-winning goal or acing a final exam.
"That's really hard, but I guess I'd have to pick the game-winner," admitted Smith. "I'm a defender, and I've never scored a game-winner before, but I'd really rather just do both.
See? Problem solved.
Emily Smith loves problem solving.
As a central defender for the Cal women's soccer team, that means figuring out how to stop some of the most prolific attackers in both the conference and the country.
Off the pitch, the challenge is no simpler.
Smith, a junior from Los Gatos, is majoring in applied mathematics with an intended minor in data science, and embraces the rigors of her course load with the same passion and focus she brings on the soccer field.
"I've always loved math," Smith said. "Ever since I was a kid, it's been something I've always found really interesting. I kept taking math classes once I got [to Cal], and I just never stopped."
On the field, the math is simple. Zero goals allowed for the opponent equals a positive result for the Golden Bears. In the classroom, the equations are much more complex, but the end result no less satisfying.
"Numbers are very objective," Smith explained. "There's always a right answer, and I love the challenge of solving different problems and taking new approaches to come up with the solution. It's very rewarding, and I think you could draw a connection between [math and soccer]. Especially as a defender, it's all about problem solving. You have to be able to take different approaches to winning the game."
More often than not, she has been able to come up with correct solution in both arenas.
A member of the U.S. Women's National Team that competed at the 2016 FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup in Jordan, Smith earned All-Pac-12 and all-region recognition as a freshman and has been a mainstay in the Bears' backline since her arrival on campus. Smith has served as a team co-captain the last two seasons and this season became the first player in conference history to earn Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week honors three times in a single season.
Her performance in the classroom has been equally stellar, earning first-team Pac-12 All-Academic and Academic all-district recognition in 2018. Smith was also presented with the Golden Bear Achievement Award this past spring for having the highest cumulative GPA on the team. She credits her success in the classroom to proactive communication and collaboration.
"It's really about just working with professors," Smith said.
"Luckily, I've had really great professors here at Cal who are willing to accommodate my athletic needs in terms of being flexible with having to make up exams if we're on the road and being available during office hours."
Smith was able to combine her two passions this summer, interning for Sparta Science, a sport technology company that uses data to analyze and optimize athlete performance. It's a trend Smith hopes to continue, her sights set on playing professionally, graduate school and a possible career in data science or data analytics waiting when she hangs up her cleats.
Whether juggling multivariable calculus or a talented opponent, Smith is rarely without an answer. That is, except when asked which would be more exciting: scoring a game-winning goal or acing a final exam.
"That's really hard, but I guess I'd have to pick the game-winner," admitted Smith. "I'm a defender, and I've never scored a game-winner before, but I'd really rather just do both.
See? Problem solved.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's SoccerMonday, August 29
Saturday, August 13
Thursday, May 08
Wednesday, April 30
