Arruda enjoys stopover between Iceland and her homeland, Brazil

Katya Arruda followed her dream to the United States rather than her heart to Brazil.

Though she longed to return to Sao Paulo for a reunion with her family, the Northern Virginia Majestics' forward put her homecoming on hold for a chance to play in the fledgling Women's Professional Soccer league.

It's a journey that has taken her around the world—to Shawnee, Okla., and Iceland back to Woodbridge over the past five years.

"I have to work hard and keep running," she said. "My goal is to be at the top and play pro."

Arruda has been relentlessly pursuing that goal since she first arrived in America five years ago as a college freshman at Oklahoma Baptist University. She was 18 then and knew exactly two words of English: "Hi" and "bye."

Yet she prospered in her adopted country by mastering a second language and the ability to score goals.

"Everyone wanted to talk to me after games and all I could say was, 'Thank you for coming,'" Arruda said during a recent W-League practice as the Majestics prepared for their final game of the season against Hampton Roads on Sunday.

"I'm still learning," she said. "And some words I can't even say because English is really hard."

Soccer comes to her more easily. It is the most popular sport in her homeland and she developed a talent for it by playing in games alongside her older brother.

"My mother said it wasn't good for me but I just kept playing and now a lot of people think I am better than him," she said. "I don't think so, though."

Arruda has accomplished enough on the soccer field to believe that her dream is within reach. She was an NAIA All-American at Oklahoma Baptist and was honored as the Sooner Athletic Conference MVP in 2005.

The Bison went 39-28-4 during her four-year collegiate career and Arruda graduated in 2008—with a degree in exercise science and sports medicine—as the school's career record holder for games played (65), goals scored (37), assists (20), points (97) and game-winning goals (8).

"That was a really good experience," the 23-year-old said. "I was so excited because it was my first time in the U.S."

Her return to America, following a successful season with IBV in the Icelandic Premier League, coincided with the inception of the WPS—a reincarnation of the Women's United Soccer Association that debuted with seven teams on March 29.

"After school I went to Iceland and played for IBV but I heard of the pro soccer league and somehow I was in the draft," said Arruda, who ranked sixth among scoring leaders in the second division with five goals in 12 games.

"I was going to go back to Brazil to see my family but I thought the pro league was a good opportunity. I talked with the Boston Breakers and Sky Blue prior to the [international] draft, but I don't know which team was thinking about picking me," she said. "I was in line for it in the second phase and I was so excited. That's why I came back from Iceland to the U.S."

And even though she was not among the four international players initially chosen by each team, Arruda made the most of her summer in the U.S. by earning a roster spot with the Majestics.

"I really like this team," she said. "At the end of the season I could see that we were learning to read the game and we were learning how each other plays. It was a good experience."

And that's what mattered most to Arruda. She improved her skills by playing in a preeminent developmental league and, perhaps, moved closer to achieving her ultimate goal.

After all, with the Atlanta Beat and Philadelphia Independence set to join the league as expansion teams in 2010, there will be 10 more sports available for international players.

"First of all, I'm going to go back home because I miss my family," she said. "I'm going to hang out with them and stuff, but I want to keep playing, either here or Europe. Here is a good place to play."

It might be as a professional or maybe even as a W-League forward for the Majestics.

"Could be," she said. "I really enjoyed this summer."