PV Soccer Players Dribble Their Way to the Next Level
This year, the PVHS soccer program has more than just its great season from both the boys’ and girls’ teams to be proud of.
In recent months, three players, two varsity girls and one varsity boy, have committed to play soccer at the collegiate level.
Michala Fairchild, senior and midfield player of the girl’s varsity team, announced she will be furthering her academic and athletic career at Maryville University in St. Louis, Missouri in the fall. She plans to major in sports administration and found it to be a great place to do so.
“[Maryville] has a really good sports business program,” Fairchild says, “and on top of that I was able to meet with the players and coaches when I visited, and I clicked really well with all of them.”
Another senior from the girl’s varsity team, Lindsey Metcalfe, will be continuing her education and soccer career all the way cross country in the New England area.
Metcalfe was one of the team captains and verbally committed to the University of Hartford in Connecticut in early 2022 where she will be playing in the fall. For Metcalfe, this school was a great fit because she knew she wanted to be on the east coast where both her brother and sister go to college. Due to the girls’ endless hard work during this year’s soccer season and each before, Metcalfe and Fairchild’s teammates and family members are both proud of their commitments and thrilled to see what’s in store for them in the future.
“Since I’ve known [Lindsey], she has always been a natural leader on the field,” says teammate Abby Post, “She always made the team environment as positive and fun as possible, and I am so happy I was able to play alongside her.”
Post also grew to be close with Fairchild on and off the field, saying “Michala always put all her effort into everything she did [in soccer], and she worked hard to encourage everyone constantly.”
Post adds that she is incredibly excited to see where both of their collegiate careers take them. This love and excitement goes both ways, however, and the girls feel that “none of it would be possible without [their] coaches and teammates constantly supporting [them].”
“Coaches were always there when I needed help contacting [schools],” Fairchild comments, “and I wouldn’t look good on the soccer field if it wasn’t for my amazing teammates around me.”
Moving to the boys’ varsity commitment, senior Conor Steinbach recently announced his decision regarding his academic and athletic future. Steinbach was a captain of the boy’s varsity soccer team this year and has been playing since freshman year.
“Playing all four years [with PV soccer] has been great to get to grow and build a family with all of [my teammates].”
Steinbach says, “Being a captain was definitely a new challenge but I really enjoyed being able to help the younger players.”
Now, Steinbach plans to study kinesiology and sports medicine at Azusa Pacific University, a decision that came about after the school saw him playing at an ID camp and reached out via emails and phone calls.
“APU was a great fit overall for me because of the soccer opportunities, scholarships, and it being close to home,” he adds.
For the PVHS soccer program, these commitments are a clear reflection of what great team chemistry, hard work and great coaching can do for players looking to go to the next level.