For Annabella, soccer was not something she immediately fell in love with. She first started playing around six years old, but after a while, she decided to step away from the sport for a few years. When she returned at nine years old, everything changed. As the years grew, so did her passion for the game.

“I knew I wanted to play in college and take it more seriously,” said Kellerman.

As she became more involved in club soccer and competed at a higher level, she found herself constantly motivated to improve. Being surrounded by older players who were continuing their careers in college pushed her to chase the same goal. This coming fall, Kellerman will be attending California State University Fullerton [CSUF] as a full time student and DI college athlete.

However, the path to playing Division I soccer was not always easy. Along with the physical demands of the sport, Kellerman also had to overcome the mental challenges that come with competing at a high level. Kellerman explains that mistakes during matches can quickly affect a player’s confidence if they allow themselves to dwell on it for too long. Whether it is a bad pass or missed opportunity, Kellerman shares that learning to move on mentally is one of the hardest but most important parts of competing at a high level. Over time, she learned that confidence and resilience were just as important as talent on the field.

“Once you let that mental mistake go away in a game, you’re playing with confidence and feeling good on the field,” said Kellerman.

Currently Kellerman balances both high school and club soccer, two environments she says are competitive in different ways. According to her, club soccer is generally more intense because of the travel and higher level of play, while high school soccer brings a different kind of energy and team atmosphere. Kellerman also talks about another main difference, the traveling aspect.

“[For club], you are traveling a lot out of state and high school is more local,” said Kellerman.

Her soccer career has also given her opportunities beyond the United States. Annabella has had the chance to represent Peru’s national team, something she described as both dreamlike and meaningful. This is a huge accomplishment for any high school player.

“The only way to describe [it] is how surreal it is and how grateful I am to have the opportunity to play for a national team.”

She explained that the experience began after Peru scouts watched film of her playing and became interested in bringing her into the program. After going through the process of confirming her dual citizenship and handling the required paperwork, she officially earned the chance to compete internationally. For Kellerman, representing Peru became about more than just soccer. She said the experience allowed her to connect more deeply with her culture while competing against high-level talent from around the world. Training with the national team also introduced her to a completely different level of competition and preparation. According to Kellerman, practices were intense and demanded focus both physically and mentally every single day.
“Being around a lot of older players and seeing them play in college was amazing and made me love soccer so much. Seeing my sister Mia playing college really helped me realize that I wanted to be like her and do that too,” said Kellerman.
When it came time to choose a college, CSUF quickly stood out. Kellerman first attended a College Identification there during her freshman year and immediately connected with the environment. An ID camp is a recruiting event where high school athletes have a chance to showcase their skills in front of multiple university coaches. After returning for another ID camp during junior year, she said the decision became even clearer. Along with enjoying the coaching staff and team culture, her family’s connection to the university made CSUF feel like the right place for her.
“My sister Mia was actually there for college. She loved it, and I’ve had so much family that went there. I knew it was home,” said Kellerman.
Now officially committed to CSUF, Kellerman is excited to continue her soccer journey at the Division I level while representing a program she strongly connected with throughout the recruiting process. Go Titans!