The dream of becoming the next Mia Hamm begins with programs such as the Augusta Arsenal Viper U-12, one of the Southeast's top teams in its age group.
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But there is another local team helping to make those dreams a reality.
Last weekend, the Columbia County Lady Patriots U-19 girls team won the prestigious Bethesda Shootout tournament in Maryland, competing against some of the top girls teams in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions as well as Canada.
The Patriots dominated their division, outscoring opponents 16-3 in winning all four games they played.
In addition to the team's quest to win, the tournament is designed as a showcase for high school juniors and seniors in front of scouts and recruiters from the top colleges in the nation. For the five Lady Patriots who have signed to play at Division I schools, that dream is already a reality.
The signees include Aquinas High School seniors Erin Sullivan (South Carolina) and Caroline Barrett (Memphis); Greenbrier's Nicki Gray (Tennessee Tech); Lakeside's Rebecca Bohler (Samford) and Evans' Anna Goolsby (Jacksonville State).
Sullivan and Bohler are also part of the regional U.S. Soccer Olympic Developmental Program.
Two more Lady Patriots seniors, Carty Dunn of Lakeside and Anne Elizabeth Pollard of Westminster, are also being recruited by several major schools.
And the best news of all for coach Matt Kolinosky is that many of the underclassmen on his roster are also elite players, which should make the Lady Patriots competitive next season and beyond.
"I can't think of a more pleasurable experience for myself seeing these girls turn into young ladies," Kalinosky said. "The next coaches who have them are really going to be in for four years of enjoying these personalities. They are wonderful girls and players, which says a lot for how far Augusta soccer has come."
For more information on the Lady Patriots, go to the team's Web site at www.eteamz.com/u17ladypatriots.
LOCAL SCENE: The Richmond County Recreation Department "Super Bowl" for 11-12 year olds will be played at 8 tonight at Lumpkin Road Stadium. Admission is free. ... Clint Martin of Augusta scored a unanimous decision over Michael Harris of Trinity, N.C. to win the men's middleweight division of the 2003 International Kickboxing Federation North American Full Contact Rules tournament in Greenville, S.C, on Sunday. Trained by Augusta's Mark Grubel, Martin also finished fourth as a light middleweight (153.1-159 pounds) at the IKF/TKO USA National Amateur tournament held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in September. ... The Augusta Volleyball Association recently was formed, and is gearing up for a league for adults and children. League play and regional tournaments, as well as a youth developmental academy, are in the planning stages. The association's first meeting will be Dec. 5. For more information, call president Clay Boatman at (706) 294-0360, vice president Bryan Mundy at (706) 294-6089 or go to their Web site at www.augustavolleyball.com.
Reach Rob Mueller at (706) 823-3425
