Coupeville Sports

Hanna Seiffert (John Fisken photo)

First Germany won the World Cup, then it began to send its soccer players out to take over the rest of the world.

Well, not really, but at least one German import is making her presence felt on the Coupeville High School girls’ soccer squad this season.

Sophomore foreign exchange student Hanna Seiffert, who lives near Berlin when she’s at home, is playing for the Wolves. By doing so, she’s upholding a national tradition.

“So you know, Germany won the World Cup, that means soccer is really popular in Germany,” Seiffert said. “But I didn’t play in a club before. We played at school or just for fun.”

Seiffert, who also plans to play basketball for CHS in the winter, is a well-rounded athlete.

She plays badminton, participates in rescue swimming and enjoys wakeboarding, windsurfing and snowboarding.

While she enjoys staying athletic (“Sports are the best things in my life”), Seiffert also spends time developing her musical talents.

She plays the flute and attends a music-orientated school in Germany.

For Seiffert, who turns 16 on Friday, coming to America was a chance to follow in the footsteps of her older brother.

“My brother did an exchange year in 2012-2013. When he came back he was a different person,” Seiffert said. “He got so many amazing impressions that I want to do it, too.”

Landing in Coupeville was an unknown, as foreign exchange students don’t select where they are sent. But she’s quickly come to appreciate her new town.

“It was a surprise and I’m so happy with this,” Seiffert said. “So, my city where I live, it’s not so big, but some is different and some same, but I love both.

“I love it here really and I love to see every time new things in the USA when I travel here,” she added. “So that’s my fifth time here and every time it’s different, but this town is amazing.”

After her year in Coupeville, she’ll head back home to finish her schooling. After that, her future is wide open.

“First I want to finish school and then I don’t know what’s coming,” Seiffert said. “I let me be surprised.”

Whether at home in Germany or off on a far-away adventure, she knows her family will always be looking out for her.

“My family is not so big, but really lovely,” Seiffert said. “I have one older brother, he is amazing. My mum and dad are the best persons of the world.

“Definitely, my family and my friends are there to help me with problems, but also show me how I can do it better.”