Congrats are in order for two players on the FC-1 Academy U18 Girls Elite team who have committed to play for college soccer teams.

Sia Dagrizikos

Sia accepted an academic and athletic scholarship to the New York Institute of Technology, a Division II school located on Long Island. Prior to playing for FC-1, Sia was a member of the Glenview Soccer Club and plays midfield for the Glenbrook North High School soccer team.
 
“I’m so excited about going to NYIT. Before committing, I visited the school and met my future coach and some teammates. The coach, team and the school felt like a good fit,” said Sia.

Sia plans to major in nursing, and NYIT offers a strong program in that field. She’s also looking forward to being close to Manhattan and enjoying the benefits of city life.

Carolyn Nash

Carolyn, also a former Glenview Soccer Club member, is looking forward to playing for University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, a Division III school, in the fall.

“It’s really exciting to get an offer to play in college,” says Carolyn, who is also a midfielder and plays for Glenbrook South High School. “Whitewater is such a good fit for me. It’s very strong in sports, which I love, and it has a great program in the subject that interests me most, business."

Carolyn selected a Division III school so she will be able to participate in other activities as well as play soccer.  She’s also thinking about participating in a study abroad program during her college years.

Their favorite soccer moments

For both Carolyn and Sia, a highlight of their years playing soccer in Glenview was when their FC-1 team won the 2012 U18 IWSL A division championship. Sia also considers the St. Louis Scott Gallagher Girls Fall Classic and Tournament another favorite memory. One of Carolyn's standout memories was back in seventh grade, the year she earned a spot on the A team for Glenview Soccer Club.

Advice to younger players

Both Sia and Carolyn say their success is due to long hours practicing with their teams as well as on their own.

“You need to do lots of conditioning and touches,” Sia says.  “It’s all about work.” And for high school players, she has specific advice: “Be proactive. Follow up with the coaches you’ve met at showcases and keep on top of all your connections and paperwork.”

Carolyn also stresses the importance of staying focused: “Never give up. Just keep working hard during your team practices, attend soccer summer camps, practice every day on your own, and you’ll improve."

"Being able, firsthand, to watch the growth and development of these two players has been really special.  They have worked hard at something they really love.  I have no doubt that they will carry what they've learned from their soccer careers onto success in college and beyond," said Kyle Kurz, their coach for the past two seasons.

Glenview Soccer Club and FC-1 Academy congratulate Sia and Carolyn and wish them the best of luck with their collegiate careers and studies.