Samantha Lockley selected for Olympic program
BY LINDAWILLIAMS CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Most people do not know what they want to do when they graduate from high school. However, Samantha "Sam" Lockley, a Nantucket freshman varsity soccer player, realized her passion by the time she was in second grade - "Soccer, soccer and more soccer." Sam recently got news that her hard work and determination has paid off when she and 24 other Massachusetts 14-year-old soccer players received a large manila envelope congratulating them on making the Olympic Development Program out of the 500 who had tried out in August.

An overwhelming majority of players on the national teams at all age levels have participated in U.S. Youth Soccer's Olympic Development Program, established in 1977 as the original national identification and development program for elite and high-level players. The formal girls program was not started until 1982. According to the program's literature, the goals of ODP are to identify a pool of players from which national team pools can be chosen for international competition; to provide a high level of training and provide a mechanism to improve licensed coaches. Players are evaluated for technique or ball skills, tactical sense or decisionmaking ability, fitness and athletic ability and attitude.

NHS freshman Samantha Lockley hopes to take her game to the next level with her selection to U. S. Youth Soccer's Olympic Development Program.

Sam first tried out in August of 2006 along with four other Nantucket players. "I just wanted to see what the level of competition was and I did not think I would make the team," she said. "I started playing in kindergarten in the Nantucket Student Soccer Association rec program and I just knew that I wanted to play soccer. My mom told me that I could stop if I did not like it, but I never stopped."

Not being accepted into the program last year just fueled Sam's fire and she worked harder to make the team, honing skills that she felt were lacking.

A three sport athlete, playing ice hockey in the winter and lacrosse in the spring, along with travel soccer, Sam traveled to Lancaster, Mass. this past August to again test her skills against the best players the state had to offer. This time, instead of the thin denial letter, Sam received the big envelope. "I kept flipping the envelope over to make sure that it was the right name and address before I opened it. This is a big step in my soccer career because I want to continue to play in college. I am so excited."

Mary Lockley, Sam's mother, explained that her daughter did not think she had a chance this year either. "All of the girls were bigger, faster and more experienced."

When asked what made the difference this time out, Sam was self-effacing. "I have no idea what they saw in me or why I made it. It could have been that it was over 100 degrees on the field the day I went and a lot of girls had to stop playing. I never quit." Lockley's mother added, "I made Sam play all different positions when I was coaching her in the NSSA rec and spring travel programs and maybe they saw that she was more versatile than most players, though she is primarily a defensive midfielder." Mary Lockley was still stunned about the turn of events. "I never dreamed that she would take it this far. She always was a very determined child and I am so delighted for her."

It has been a long way from kindersoccer to starting for the varsity soccer team as a freshman. Sam attended several local and off-island camps, going to her first off-island "sleepover" camp as a fifth grader up in Boston. "There were only five girls at the camp and the rest were boys. No girls had ever gone to that camp before." Sam worked later and longer than others. Lockley felt that her daughter could not have been as successful as she has without the help of others like Matt Fee, the owner of Something Natural. "Matt would take her off island with his kids when they went to play in other leagues and make sure that she had the same chances to improve. I never could have afforded the travel costs up to now."

Varsity girls' soccer coach Jorge Rojas praised Sam as deserving of making the team. "She earned it and worked harder than most, putting in the time to improve her skills. She made the most out of her choices." Coach Rich Brannigan of the boys' varsity soccer team also praised Lockley. "She is a dedicated player and has stuck with soccer with a great intensity." Brannigan did not recall any Nantucket players making the ODP at this level who actually took advantage of the program. "It just shows that Nantucket soccer has come a long way in ten years and you can find great players even on a small island that have a high level of skill. Having a girls' soccer team has opened up opportunities for female players that were not available just a few years ago on the island."

The hard work really starts over the winter in preparation for a February trip to Barcelona, Spain, for the team to play in a tournament. All 25 players head overseas, after which there will be one more cut, with 18 making the team and seven put on the reserve squad, but still able to make the regular team and required to make all of the practices. Missing a practice for any reason could be grounds for losing a player's spot. The regular squad will represent Massachusetts at tournaments against other state teams for the next year. A player that makes the regular squad is then eligible to make the regional team and then possibly go into the national pool.

As thrilling as it is for Sam to be headed to Spain, she may not get there due to the expenses involved. She has to raise a minimum of $4,000 from local sources before February in order to make the trip. That does not include the once a week travel to and from practices until the team leaves for Spain. Players can help fund the trip by selling ads in an ODP yearbook that range from about $20 to as much as $300, with all proceeds going directly to subsidize her travel fund. All advertisers will

receive a copy of the yearbook to display. I