NCSA caught up with rising soccer star Maggie Weldon about her high school career and the opportunity to compete at the next level.
NCSA: What motivates you before a big game? What are your pre-game rituals?
Weldon: Before every game I listen to Al Pacino’s Inch By Inch speech from "Any Given Sunday.” My pre-game ritual consists of positive mental imaging. I see myself make various kinds of saves during the game. I think about that one save that I am going to make that could win the game.
NCSA: What are you looking forward to if and when you get the opportunity to play collegiate soccer?
Weldon: I am looking to bring my game to the next level. I want to become the best I can before I graduate from college. I would like to play at the highest level possible before I hang up my cleats. I would love to play with players that have the same hopes and dreams as myself.
NCSA: Why did you get involved in soccer?
Weldon: I started my soccer career when I was 5 years old at the recreational level. As my skills improved I started to play for the MISL Attack Soccer Club, which was a travel team located in Manchester NH. I played on MISL for six years starting when I was nine years old until I was fourteen. During that time is when I made the most progress. I used to play striker and I was the leading goal scorer on my team. My best friend played goalie, and when she broke her arm I decided to give it a try. I fell in love with being a goalie and so from then on that was the position I played. There I found players that wanted to become as good as they could, and wanted to win tournaments and state championships. With MISL I won two out of three state championships. As I started getting older and realized that I wanted to play in college, preferably at a DI school I realized that I was going to have to go to a club that was going to offer a comprehensive goalkeeper program. I switched from MISL to Seacoast United Soccer Club when I was fifteen years old. Those two years have been the best times of my life. I’ve accomplished so much, and I really believe that my game has really improved during my time with Seacoast.
NCSA: Tell us about your interactions with college coaches so far.
Weldon: I’ve received a lot of letters, mostly from D1 schools. During my sophomore year in high school I put a letter and profile of myself together and sent them out to over 100 DI schools. I get really excited when I receive a letter, especially if they have seen me play and are interested in me. I get even more excited when I get invited to the colleges elite one day clinics, that way I can meet and talk with the coach and also see the campus.
NCSA: How are your team(s) doing so far?
Weldon: Right now my high school team is 1-1-0. We are struggling a bit right now to work together and to move the ball quickly up the field and really challenge the other goalkeeper. Our first game of the season was against our biggest rivals, Manchester Central High School. I always get really excited and pumped when we play them, so I was ready for this game. Two goals were scored on defensive breakdowns, but other than that I had several great saves. At the end of the game my coach told me that I did an awesome job and that if it was not for me then we would have lost that game by a lot more. She also told me that she thought I am one of the best goalkeepers in Class L.
NCSA: What are your goals – athletically, academically and in your community – for the rest of the school year?
Weldon: My goals athletically are to improve my vertical leap and to improve my quickness. I am only 5'5", so high balls are a challenge. I feel that if I improve my quickness it will benefit me with attacking and getting to the ball before the opposing striker does.
