The first thing that caught Katie Schoepfer's attention was that the phone call didn't come from her former Waterford High School girls' soccer coach, Rob Brule. It came from former Old Lyme coach Don Desautels, a past president of the Connecticut Girls' Soccer Coaches' Association and member of the organization's hall of fame committee.

Schoepfer is going to be inducted into the CGSCA Hall of Fame on Jan. 25, 2015 at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville. A high school and collegiate All-American and now a professional with the Boston Breakers of the National Women's Soccer League, Schoepfer will be honored as a high school player. She is the only player from the present-day Eastern Connecticut Conference to earn such a distinction.

"Every time I talk to him, Rob tells me how proud he is of me and everything I've done for Waterford," Schoepfer said this week in a telephone interview. "I expect Rob to kind of promote me and recognize me. (This) was a great surprise phone call. It was something different."

The Day's four-time All-Area Girls' Soccer Player of the Year, Schoepfer graduated from Waterford in 2006 with a state record 157 career goals. At Penn State, Schoepfer was named the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year as a senior. She recently was re-signed by the Breakers for the 2015 season, having started 12 games for the team this season, logging 989 minutes and finishing with four goals, one a game-winner.

She was drafted in the second round by Sky Blue FC in the 2010 Women's Professional Soccer league draft.

And to think, the reason Schoepfer played sports in the first place was to hang out with her friends in Waterford.

"Waterford has been a crucial part in not only me being a soccer player, but growing up as a person," Schoepfer said. "Growing up as a part of Lancer Nation, I'm really happy that I'm able to represent those people.

"It's a cliche, 'if I did it, anyone can do it,' but it's really true. I was just like any other kid that wanted to play sports with my friends. If I can do it, any of those girls (that are in high school now) can do it."

Schoepfer, who lives in Boston, was a volunteer assistant this fall with the Boston University women's soccer team which won the Patriot League and earned an NCAA tournament berth. She is currently beginning her offseason workouts and is coaching the Boston Breakers Academy U18 team.

The hall of fame banquet is scheduled to begin at noon. The cost per person is $45. Checks may be made payable to the CGSCA and mailed to hall of fame chairman Patrick Collet at 6 Penn Rd., Manchester, 06042.

Schoepfer is being honored along with Kyle McAuley (player, Trumbull High School), Caroline Walden (player, The Hopkins School) and Mick D'Arcy (contributor).

v.fulkerson@theday.com

Twitter: @vickieattheday