Joint Base San Antonio –
An Air Force major at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph was just looking for an activity for her children when she signed them up for a soccer program more than three years ago.
One of those children has progressed so much that she's participating in the South Texas Olympic Development Program and dreaming of reaching the heights attained by U.S. women's soccer great Mia Hamm and one of her heroes, Olympic champion goalkeeper Hope Solo.
"I saw a registration sign for the Greater Randolph Area Youth Soccer Association and I wanted to give my children something to do, so I signed them up," Maj. Sabrina Sheridan, Air Education and Training Command Contracting Squadron contracting staff officer, said.
Her oldest child, Mya, now a 12-year-old sixth-grader at Randolph Middle School, embraced the game and began to shine.
"She started to love the game and you could see the talent," the proud mom said.
Mya, one of only two girls on the GRAYSA Arsenal under-12 boys' team, was chosen for the ODP in December following tryouts in San Marcos, Texas. Players were evaluated on technique, tactics, fitness, athletic ability and attitude.
"The goal of the ODP is to identify and select the best group of young soccer players to represent South Texas," her father, Robert Sheridan, an AETC CONS contracting specialist, said. "She is part of a pool of players representing Region III."
Mya is participating in winter pool training each weekend this month in Katy, Texas, and will continue training in February and March, including friendly competition in College Station, Texas. Following pool training, top players will be chosen to represent South Texas at the Region III ODP Camp at the University of Montevallo in Montevallo, Ala., in July.
Mya plays all positions on the field, but her primary role is midfielder.
"I like it because you get to play the whole field," she said.
Mya's focus is to "develop her skills - dribbling, passing and shooting," her dad said. "Participating in pool training will allow her to compete with the best players in South Texas and learn from the top college and U.S. Youth Soccer Association coaches."
The Sheridans said they're proud of Mya's accomplishment.
"She's earned her right," her mom said. "She puts a lot of effort into soccer and is committed to it even in the offseason."
Mya said her goal is to one day be a part of the U.S. women's Olympic soccer team.
"I want to become the best player I can be," she said.
Soccer is not Mya's only specialty. She's a straight-A student and plays clarinet in the Randolph Middle School Band. She's able to balance all these activities by being "very organized and structured," her dad said.