What is the ceiling for Norwayne junior Shelby Vaughn?
That is the question because every time she has seemingly bumped her head on it, she extends it to another level. From being a national champion with her club North FC this past summer, to being an All-Ohioan this fall, Vaughn continues to set the bar higher each time.
Earlier this year, she committed to Michigan State University to continue her soccer career, and most recently, she was selected to be on the 05 USYS ODP National Team. That’s the United States Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program, which was created in 1982 to identify the highest caliber soccer players to help continue the success of the United States National Teams.
“Shelby is a different breed of player,” said North FC coach Attila Csiszar. “She is a player who won’t ever quit, she is determined to win and that separates her from the rest of the players. You just don’t find anyone who has that competitive drive like her.”
From playing in tournaments inside the state and then playing other states, she was selected to go to Illinois. Once there, she was selected to go to Florida as part of the Midwest Regional team, where she played against the South, West and East regions. After that, the top players nationally were selected to comprise one ODP National Team.
“The competition made me a better player,” said Vaughn. “The game gets more physical as it goes on and having that mentality makes me tougher. Also, I had to create new moves and have to do different things each time as players read me.”
She found out she made the team on Thursday via email after her team’s tough loss to Smithville in basketball.
“My mom got the email and after the game, was like, ‘This should make you feel better,’” said Vaughn. “I was really happy and it’s really exciting.”
The 05 ODP National Team will be in action in March, when they make a trip to England and then will play in Dallas, Texas starting in April.
“It’s an honor for her to be in that position,” said Csiszar. “She comes from a small environment, but has been playing since her youth and she hates to lose. She grinds and grinds, works hard, has determination that most kids don’t have, she wants that pressure, wants the ball and that mentality separates her from the rest.
“If you have the right player, that one player can make a world of a difference as long as they are the right player. Shelby is positive, puts in the work, lifts up her teammates and no question makes the players around her better.”
As for going to England, a country that takes its soccer extremely seriously and has an environment like few others, that opportunity excites Vaughn. To see the different styles of soccer ranging from the more direct, to where the buildup is more continuous and where the pressure applied is due to the directness through the attack.
“It’s really cool and I have never been to England before,” said Vaughn. “So, I’ve never seen a competition there, so it’s going to be really good, and I am really excited to experience that.”
For Vaughn, it will be another piece to an already glitzy resume as she continues to cement herself not only locally, but statewide and abroad.
“She is known in the soccer community on the women’s side here in Cleveland,” said Csiszar. “She is a beast when she has the ball, you have to man mark her, she is going to score, she has worked for everything that she has got and just continues to make a name for herself.”
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