By Brittany Rowe, Moon News Cloud Contributor

Moon’s Macey Thomas is like many high school athletes. For her soccer “has always been a huge part of my life.” And like many high school athletes, injuries or adversity never has been far away.

Thomas has had two ACL surgeries, but in June, she will graduate from Moon Area High School and head off to West Virginia Wesleyan, where she will play soccer.

She began playing soccer with youth teams, and since age 11 she has been playing for the Beadling Soccer Club. But during that time Thomas often found herself playing one position.

“All the girls my age would complain, saying they did not want to play in net, so usually I just stood up and said ,’I’ll do it,’” she said.

Thomas will know at least one person on the Wesleyan team. Junior midfielder Shaelyn McNamara has played there for three years. She said that the Division II school that takes academics and athletics seriously. The team strives on mental toughness, and the ability to work cooperatively as a team.

McNamara says that Thomas should fit right in.  “It is hard to find quality goal keepers so she will definitely be an asset to the team.”

McNamara also said she might be able to help Thomas with the transition to college that also means living away from home for the first time.

“I am from Canada and being away at school, in a different country, far from family gets very difficult at times,” McNamara said. “But I always think about what I will be rewarded with in the end, and how many people wish they could be in my position.”

Thomas also knows that being a scholarship athlete allows her to be an example to other area children. She, too, appears ready to embrace that.