COLUMBUS — “I have to be dedicated and motivated to keep doing it.”
Columbus native Arthur Dawson doesn’t just play travel soccer, he has to travel to play travel soccer. His club, Alabama FC, is based in Birmingham, and his parents drive him two hours twice a week for practice.
Despite the long days on the road and on the field, Dawson loves the sport. Like many teammates at Heritage Academy and his former Columbus teams, he has excelled in the sport and has earned a prestigious opportunity to take his game to the next level.
Photo courtesy of Paige Spears
Dawson is one of eight Lowndes County youth players selected to participate in the United States South Region Olympic Development Program camp in Charlotte, N.C., in July. He’ll travel alongside Ava Dowdle, Garrison Reedy, Barrett Spears, Julia Yeatman, Tom Whitaker, Jack Matthews and Lydia Jones for the camp. These players have represented both of Columbus Soccer’s travel clubs – Columbus United and Golden Triangle Elite FC – as well as travel teams such as Dawson’s Alabama FC and Tupelo Futbol Club.
To have eight area players (out of 59 from Mississippi) selected showcases the level of coaching and development, as well as the talented youth players who have a chance to showcase their skills with the best of the best from across the country.
“It’s wonderful to see so many players from this area selected,” Jack’s mother, Ashley, said. “For so long, the player pools were drawn from the metropolitan areas, so it’s fantastic to see this many kids from our town who were chosen to move forward.”
The U.S. ODP camps help identify and select “high-potential players” from across the country to participate in state, regional and national teams with U.S. Youth Soccer. Each year, state soccer associations host teams for ages 12-18 to give young people a chance to compete at a national level.
Dawson, who participated in regional play last year, is making his return to the ODP level alongside several teammates and clubmates.
“It was both a fun and challenging process,” Dawson said. “I started in Memphis with the state ODP team and made it through the two Regional events in Murfreesboro and Charlotte to make the ODP South Region team. With the regional team, I played against the other regional teams while trying to make a spot on the national team. The whole process showed me what I needed to do to be a better soccer player and how every play or practice counts towards moving on to the next level.”
“It’s a huge honor that I get to represent Mississippi on such a big stage,” Reedy said of the selection. “I just want to encourage younger kids to keep following their dreams and to keep working hard.”
Reedy, like many of the players selected, has played at the club and school level with teams above his age range. As a freshman, Reedy earned the starting goalkeeper role for Heritage Academy and helped them to the state championship game this season. He plays travel ball for Tupelo FC.
Fellow Tupelo FC players Julia Yeatman and Ava Dowdle are playing in Dallas this weekend for the President’s Cup, but took time to reflect on their selection and the game they love to play.
“I just love to play soccer, and I’m so excited to get to go to North Carolina and be one of the few to represent my state,” Yeatman said. “I’ll see some high-level competition and hopefully I do well.”
Dowdle, who has played since she was four years old, reflected on a journey through Columbus recreational soccer to Columbus United and eventually Tupelo. The dedication to playing at a high level takes a lot of effort and practice hours, but it’s an escape for her.
“When I am playing soccer, I feel like I can do anything,” she said. “It makes me forget all of my worries and just be myself.”
Barrett Spears, a GTE FC and TFC player, called his selection a “tremendous opportunity” to further his development as a player, as well as an opportunity for the players to bring the experience back with them to their local school and club teams.
“My local clubs and school team have definitely helped to develop me into a better player,” Spears told The Dispatch. “My coaches have always pushed me to work harder and learn from my mistakes and losses while keeping a championship mentality. I feel blessed to have the opportunity to play the game I love with some of the best players and coaches in the South, and I look forward to bringing that knowledge and experience back home.”
An increase in outside recognition of local players is a direct result of the growth of soccer in Mississippi, particularly in the Golden Triangle. The opportunities to play locally are plentiful with recreation, camp and club options increasing.
Dawson named his former coaches at Columbus United, Dave Albertson and William Starks, as huge influences on his game. He has ambitions to play at the next level, but it all started at the Roger Short Soccer Complex.
“(Arthur) has been molded into the person and player he is today by almost every soccer program in our area,” Dawson’s mother, Evans, said. “He has gotten to experience the expertise and support of so many coaches, trainers, programs, camps, teammates and families. His love of the game seems innate and that love has been fostered by each one of his coaches and teams along the way.”
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 47 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
