Player Spotlight: Abby & Sydney – Two Different Paths, Same CBZ DNA

Some stories say more than any marketing campaign ever could.

In the Bay, we’re lucky to be working with players like Abby Forsgren, who has committed to Memphis Women’s Soccer (Division I), and Sydney Grundland Lanuza, who just earned Player of the Year with CCSF in San Francisco.

Different journeys. Different levels.

Same themes: work, humility, repetition, and trust.

Abby has been part of the East Bay Lab, constantly looking for ways to sharpen her decision-making, movement, and mentality ahead of stepping into the D1 environment. Her sessions aren’t just about drills – they’re about:

• Managing pressure

• Developing game IQ

• Owning her standards, not waiting for someone else to set them

Sydney is a special one too. Not only is she a standout player, she’s now also a CBZ coach in the East Bay hub. That dual role – player and coach – is exactly what we’ve seen in London for years: people who grow through the system and then give back into it.

When young players hear from people like Abby and Sydney, it feels different. It’s not a random pro on YouTube telling them to “grind”. It’s someone who has trained in the same rain, on the same pitches, under the same expectations.

In this series, we want to keep telling these stories:

• So younger players know what’s possible

• So parents see what real development looks like

• So the world understands that CBZ isn’t just about “talent” – it’s about character over time

If you’re a player reading this: whatever level you’re at now, the question is always the same –

Are you willing to show up consistently, listen deeply, and stretch your comfort zone?

That’s what Abby and Sydney have done.

That’s what we expect from everyone in the CBZ family.