Photography by Steve Buchanan
Dominique Popa comes from a family of athletes. Her sister Tatiana played basketball at Nebraska and another sister, Dayana, was a diver at Missouri State. Her brother Tristan competed in basketball at North Dakota State.
A generation earlier, her father Constantin had a basketball career in the NBA and overseas. They served as role models and helped Popa, an Arundel High School senior, develop into an elite athlete. She learned how to be mentally tougher, outwork other athletes, and be consistent with her daily routine.
Having the mental toughness to deal with the ups and downs of soccer proved to be the most important thing. “There are a lot of mental challenges playing the sport,” Popa says. “If I am having a bad game or practice, it can be really frustrating. I had people to lean on for advice. Being able to talk to them has helped.”
The 5-foot-11 Popa, a goaltender, will follow the family tradition and play a sport in college. She verbally committed to the soccer team at Miami University in Ohio in September of 2021, then signed a National Letter of Intent for an athletic scholarship this fall.
The University of Iowa also offered Popa a soccer scholarship and the University of Rhode Island University heavily recruited her.
“It was the best situation,” Popa says of Miami University. “I love the coaching staff and the players. The school is very pretty. The coaches and players were so welcoming and there was continuous communication. The program is on the way up.”
With an eye toward college, Popa joined the Bethesda Soccer Club for two seasons after playing three years for the Maryland United Football Club. Bethesda competes in the Elite Clubs National League, which is considered one the best leagues in the country.
“It’s just a whole new level of soccer,” Popa explains. “There’s so much talent. There are harder shots and faster passes. It’s helped me become a better player. It’s the highest level of girls soccer.”
Arundel Girls Soccer Coach Caitlyn Rankin says switching to the Bethesda team is one of the best decisions Popa has made regarding soccer. “It has put her where she really needs to be for college—big time,” she says. “It has had a huge impact on her.”
Rankin raves about how hard the 17-year-old Popa works. Besides playing club soccer, Popa has used a goaltending coach and athletic trainer for years. “The work she is putting in,” Rankin says. “You don’t see that a lot. She is driving to Bethesda. She does everything on her own. It’s incredible that she puts in that kind of time for soccer. We have 19 on varsity and five or six that do some serious traveling with their club teams, but none to the extent that she does.”
For the last three years at Arundel, Popa has split time in goal with senior Trysta Thomas, another college prospect. The rotation has worked well with Popa since she takes over games.
“We stayed in games because of the saves she made,” Rankin says. “We should be down three or four goals because of poor defense. She would make ridiculous saves high, low, or one on ones. She would make these ridiculous saves. It’s more than I could ask of a keeper.”
Popa possesses all the things coaches look for in a goalie: outstanding communicator, height, quickness, great hands, work ethic, and tremendous athletic ability.
“She is a big-time goalkeeper because she makes big-time saves,” says Popa’s goalie coach, Laurie George. “She has a lot to offer. She’s always looking to get better. You want to build on your strengths and weaknesses. She has come a long way since seventh grade. I am so proud of her.”
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