Although millions of male and females in high school participate in sports, the chances of playing a sport in college are slim. Only 7.6 percent of males will continue beyond high school and 7.9 percent of females (about 250,000 girls) carry on to the collegiate level.

Junior Lindsey Anstine was able to move forward as one of only 40,000 females to advance to college for soccer.

“My older sister was a huge soccer player so I started playing when I was six years old. By the time I was 12 I knew that I wanted to take my passion all the way to college,” Anstine said.

Anstine worked beginning her sophomore year to make herself known to college coaches. Her club team attended national showcases where 40-60 coaches observed , making it possible for her to get scouted at a young age.

“I played in Florida this past December, even though I was already talking to the coach from Indiana State in November. After he saw me play at the showcase we set up a time for me to visit in January,” she said.

It was not just a typical campus tour though. Anstine spent the day getting to know the coaches and players of the soccer program who she trained with and spent the night with.

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“The coaches personally showed me around campus. I went and weight lifted and ate meals with the soccer team and kind of lived a day in the life of a player,” she said.

The visit helped sway Anstine to accept the offer to play Division I soccer at Indiana State University beginning in the fall of 2016.

“I liked the size of the school, the distance from home and the program. I put a lot of thought into the decision though since I was making it so early,” Anstine said. “My options were either wait and risk losing my spot as a recruit or take time to think and say yes.”

With a verbal commitment as well as a waiver already signed, Anstine’s plans for the future are set in stone as a junior in high school.

“It was such relief to both me and my family to have had an opportunity like this come along. Supporting my career as an athlete was a family effort ever since I was a kid, so it’s nice knowing all the hard work paid off,” she said.

Eighty-five percent of Anstine’s tuition is covered by an athletic scholarship, with the remaining 15 percent being academic. With her decision made, she is thinking about what she will do until her freshman year.

“I’ll be going to Indiana State’s soccer camp over the summer, and I’m still going to play for my high school and club teams. I’ll be watching my school play against Indiana too,” Anstine said. “I’m determined to train hard and stay in shape until I finally get to play on that field for the first time.”