By Cate Schiff
Staff Writer
Playing soccer as a kid is just a hobby for most students but it turned into junior Christie Carey’s passion and after years of hard work, she plans on playing soccer at University of Southern California (USC) on an athletic scholarship.
Carey starting playing as a toddler in the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), her community soccer team. Carey then turned her childhood hobby into something much more competitive and began training at a higher level.
“I started playing AYSO and just fell in love with the game,” Carey said. “After I played my first game, I didn’t want to stop.”
Carey starting playing club soccer when she was seven years old. She was recruited to play as a goalie for a club team called the South Bay Force.
“Christie is really inspiring as a teammate because she works hard and has heart for the game,” sophomore teammate Delaney Hawkes said.
Carey practices from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in North Torrance. She dreams of having the opportunity to play soccer at the collegiate level.
“Everyone on our team respects her and knows she deserves to be going to USC,” Hawkes said. “I couldn’t be more proud of her and I am so excited to cheer her on.”
At various showcases and tournaments, Carey has been approached by college coaches looking to recruit players however she was but she was surprised when USC expressed their interest.
“I actually never thought about USC being a potential school to play at,” Carey said. “I played a really good game in May 2012 and that week my club coach was notified by the USC coach saying that he wanted to see me on campus as soon as possible”
In July 2012, Carey was invited to a private USC soccer camp held by the head soccer coach. During this recruitment trip, they were focused on observing her talent more closely before offering anything.
“I went on campus and met a few of the other coaches and got a tour of the school,” Carey said. “I went to the camp and it was just me and the whole USC girls soccer team, which was an amazing experience.”
After the camp, Carey kept in touch with the coaches through e-mail. They later invited Carey onto campus once more where she accepted the offer play soccer at USC.
“I love everything about USC,” Carey said. “I love the coaches, I love the team, and I love the athletic facilities. The spirit and atmosphere on campus is insane which is what makes me love it.”
According to Carey, none of her dreams would have come true without the continuous support of her family and teammates.
“We try and constantly support her by attending the games near and far, traveling to places like Hawaii and Colorado and just encouraging her to be the best at every game,” Kim Carey said. “I am beyond proud of her accomplishments that have led up to her commitment to USC and It’s exciting to see her hard work pay off.”
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