Brookville’s Smith will play at Winthrop

By Ted Allen

Published: May 8, 2008

On the day after netting the 100th goal of her varsity career, with her third hat trick of the season Wednesday night at Rustburg, Brookville senior Nichole Smith signed a partial scholarship to continue her soccer career at Winthrop University, a Division I program.
“It’s a great fit for her,” Bees coach Webster Leith said. “It’s one of the strongest teams within the Big South Conference. She’s going in with high expectations from the coach (Melissa Heinz) and is really excited to live up to those. I expect her to get twice as good as she is now.”
A large gathering of teammates, family and faculty members attended Smith’s signing Thursday afternoon in the school’s library, with plenty of photo opportunities.
She and her parents were all smiles and at peace with her decision.
“We had prayed about it and it was where God wanted me to be,” said Smith, who plans to major in physical education. “It was a blessing from God, kind of late in the signing period.”
After graduating 13 players from last year’s team, Leith has started Smith at midfield this spring, rather than her natural position of forward as he had her first three seasons. Smith will have the opportunity to compete for a starting spot on the front line at Winthrop as a freshman.
“She’ll be going in as a forward (and) the offense that they run is an offense that caters to the strikers,” Leith said.
To prepare to play that position at the college level, Smith will go through an intensive off-season training program.
“The workout program they have for the forwards is amazing,” Leith said. “It’s designed to be able to get her not just in shape, but in a tactical (mode). It’s training outside of the box, to get her to create off the ball and not only run for 90 minutes, but do it at a high intensity level.”
Smith is looking forward to the challenge.
“I’m ready to move on and do whatever it takes to be successful,” she said. “It will be a lot of intensive work (but) I want to be able to come in and make the transition in stride.”
She is excited about the chance to face former area players in Big South competition.
“It’s cool because (E.C. Glass midfielder) Jeanine Johnston, one of my friends who I’ve been playing with since third grade, will be at Liberty so I can come back here and play against her, and (Heritage midfielder) Brielle Spencer will be playing at High Point,” Smith said.
In other high school athletics news:
w Heritage senior Brian Patterson will play linebacker at West Virginia Tech, an NAIA program, next fall, and senior 6-foot-4, 285-pound defensive lineman Markeit Ferguson will continue his career at Lewisburg (N.C.) Junior College. Patterson started at inside linebacker and running back for the Pioneers. Quarterback A.J. Payne is deciding between two schools as to where he will play.
w The Virginia High School League’s Executive Committee voted 25-1 on Wednesday to move the Group AAA, Division 5 and 6, state championship football games to Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium on Dec. 6. Last year, the games were played at Virginia’s Scott Stadium for the first time. The Group AA games will remain at Liberty University and the Group A finals at Salem Stadium, also on Dec. 6.