It began with a question from a friend asking me today what I knew of the new Seattle Reign FC goalkeeper Madalyn Schiffel. When the trade between the Washington Spirit and Reign FC was announced that sent Havana Solaun to Washington in exchange for the Christine Nairn, Schiffel’s NWSL rights were included in the trade.

Last month, the Reign announced Schiffel signing with the team, and as the club prepares for training camp and pre-season just a couple weeks away, we can start piecing together how the 2017 Seattle Reign FC roster is looking with Haley Kopmeyer and Schiffel as the goalkeepers.

So who is Madalyn Schiffel?

You may have already seen this highlight reel and read up on her playing last year in Norway for Avaldsnes IL, where she started in every league game and five UEFA Women’s Champions League matches. When you watch her highlight reel, you can see why Laura Harvey wanted to get her as part of the Solaun/Nairn trade. It is exciting to think what goalkeeper coach Ben Dragavon can do with Schiffel, knowing what we’ve seen him do with Hope Solo and Kopmeyer.

When I re-watched Schiffel’s highlight reel I noticed it was uploaded by Schiffel herself, and an exploration of her own YouTube channel showed something incredible.

The above video is a monologue performed by Schiffel as part of an assignment during her time at University of San Francisco. No rundown of what she says, as it really should be watched.

With the announcement of A+E Networks investing in the league for a multi-year TV deal, surely it can be wondered what original content can be produced beyond match broadcasts? One would think player profiles is an idea that’s been kicked around.

Everyone has a story to tell, and the new Reign FC goalkeeper will not hesitate to tell hers. Other videos on YouTube featuring Schiffel include a profile by her alma mater University of San Francisco featuring Schiffel’s family and a bit of fun with her Avaldsnes IL teammate, Meryll Abrahamsen, which Schiffel herself shot.

The 2017 Seattle Reign FC will have familiar names, but some new faces will be a part of the team maybe more than in years past. Getting to know what they do on the field is only half of it, and the discovery of who they are off the field is going to be just as fascinating.