Senior Mikaela O’Fallon is close to starting her final year of high school soccer. She plans on attending preseason soccer practices to prepare her for the upcoming season.

“So this year [for preseason] we are starting earlier, and we’re doing outside practices. Then during the winter we’ll do conditioning and stuff inside until it comes to actually playing,” O’Fallon said. “We’re going to have a lot of talent coming up this year, so we’re definitely going to be a lot more prepared by all the training that we’re doing. It’s going to be a good year.”

O’Fallon has been playing soccer since she was six and has been playing for the SOCA Elite soccer team ever since 2013. She plans on continuing her soccer career throughout college if she gets the opportunity to.

“I would like to [go to college to play soccer].That’s the plan. I’ve applied to…. JMU, ODU, and VCU, but if I get in and don’t go for soccer, then I’ll play club soccer,” O’Fallon said.

O’Fallon tore her ACL in October 2015 playing in a game. During O’Fallon’s recovery after her ACL surgery, she felt that some people doubted her ability to get back on the field. However, she had a special coach that had faith in her throughout the journey.

“So after my ACL surgery, people said that I shouldn’t play anymore. Being out there and seeing that I’m now back on the soccer elite team and proving everybody wrong [is good]. Eilidh Thomson, [who] coached me when I was little and has helped me so much. She believed in me through my surgeries,” O’Fallon said.

As O’Fallon starts her final high school soccer season, she hopes to see the other girls on the soccer team become stronger players throughout the rest of their years at HHS.

“I’ve met so many new people; I’ve met so many of my friends, some of my best friends, from soccer. They’ve taught me more. I’ve been able to communicate better with others since I´m always around new people,” O’Fallon said. “I continue to play because I enjoy becoming closer with the girls and the team and becoming better as a player. I’m not just stuck, I’m always getting better and I like watching the other girls get better too.”