London Wilkes accepts DIII offer to Vassar College
By Gwen Warren, Staff Writer
Samo girls’ varsity soccer player, London Wilkes (’21), will be attending Vassar College to join their Division III soccer team. Wilkes has dedicated most of her life to the sport in the hopes of pursuing soccer in college, a dream that is finally coming true.
Vassar is a perfect match for Wilkes, and has all the qualities she looks for in both academics and soccer. She is particularly excited to work with coach Corey Holton and build strong relationships within the Vassar community.
“[Vassar] has a really strong team and the coach really cares about everyone’s well being. She is pretty serious and wants the team to succeed. They weren’t the best team but she has transformed the program and has [coached] winning seasons ever since she joined, so I’m excited to make history for the college. It was really cool because they have an open curriculum so I can take whatever classes that interest me, [which] will really help me in the future with my career. I'm excited to have that freedom,” Wilkes said.
Wilkes’ goals and accomplishments in soccer were greatly influenced by her teammates at Samo. She has made unbreakable bonds with her fellow players due to their friendship and competitive relationship on the field.
“I think [being a part of the Samo girls' soccer team] has really impacted my life because teammates have a bond that is so much stronger than normal friendship. I’ve made so many lifelong friends and I’m so excited to continue to stay in touch with them past high school,” Wilkes said.
Soccer has been in Wilkes’ life since she was 5 years old. Because of this, her abilities as a soccer player have had years to develop, and she was able to start playing for a serious club team in 8th grade. Club teams can be crucial for serious athletes like Wilkes who want to pursue their sport in college and later in life.
Many sports at Samo offer additional training on the weekends, which do not appeal to all athletes. However, Wilkes' goals as a soccer player have always pushed her to put in the extra work in order to be the best player she can be.
“I love [the commitment], I don’t think it's a real commitment if you love what you’re doing. It doesn’t feel like work ever, when I have to run that extra mile before practice or getting those extra touches in on the weekend when I really don’t want to, it's just I know what I have to do to be better and it doesn’t really bother me,” Wilkes said.
Wilkes' journey with soccer will continue at Vassar college, where she believes she will make history with her outstanding skills and dedication to the sport.
