LA CENTER, Wash. (KPTV) – In this High School Spotlight, FOX 12 highlights a senior soccer standout from La Center.
Sensational senior midfielder Shaela Bradley accelerates the Wildcat attack.
“We don’t have a very big school so I would say there is a really big sense of community here,” Bradley said. “I think La Center has created a great community.”
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Bradley is a leader by example for the Trico League co-champions from 1A La Center High School.
“They’re all engaged and trying, and we’re all at the same goal right now, we want to make it to state,” she said.
Soccer and studies, Bradley is humble as the 5-foot-5, 17-year-old with a 3.8 GPA carries a confidence on the La Center pitch with her 128 career goals and counting.
“I am going to get a ball in the trophy case, hopefully,” said Bradley.
Bradley is also the school record holder in the spring on the track in the 100-and-400 meter dashes.
“I am trying to get the long jump one, it’s 18-3 right now and I’ve jumped 17-9, so trying to get that,” she said.
After high school ball, Bradley suits up for the Thorns Academy where she was named the Elite Cubs National League (ECNL) Northwest Conference Player of the Year.
“It’s the experiences that come with it that I think have been probably the most rewarding,” she said. “I’ve actually had the opportunity to train with the Thorns first team because of it. I got to meet Sophia Smith and I got to meet Crystal Dunn.”
A pair of American stars just down I-5 in the Rose City, and Bradley herself suited up in red, white and blue after being invited to the U-17 United States National Team camp this past June in North Carolina.
“That was really cool. That was probably one of the coolest things that has ever happened to me,” she said. “No one has ever really done that from here, so I am hoping to put a name on the map and again, all of this is really cool!”
Cool as it is, it’s also been all earned like her commitment to learn at and play for Rutgers University.
“I am signing actually next week,” she said. “There was so much happening in such a short period of time and I think I really had to focus on what was important to me and the coaches just really showed they were going to take care of me and going to push me to that next level.”
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While Piscataway, New Jersey is some 2,900-hundred miles from La Center, the Scarlet Knights are in the Big Ten which means Bradley will get some road trips back to the Pacific Northwest against the Washington Huskies and Oregon Ducks.
“I am excited that at least every few years we will come back, and lot of my friends can show up to some games,” she said.
Next up for Bradley and the Wildcats is the district championship match on Saturday, and then she’ll buzz down to Portland to watch Sunday’s NWSL semifinal for the Thorns against Gotham FC.
Who should Nick Krupke spotlight next? If you know of a high school athlete doing good things on the field, in the classroom and in life, please send your High School Spotlight nomination for consideration to [email protected].
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Source: https://www.kptv.com/2023/11/03/la-center-hs-senior-soccer-standout-suit-up-rutgers-university/
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