Niceville's Howard is Knighted
Eageles soccer star signs on to play for Central Florida
By WILL PARCHMAN
Northwest Florida Daily News
(850) 315-4484 | willp@nwfdailynews.com
NICEVILLE - With a broad smile and the swift stroke of a pen, Marleigh Howard closed one life chapter and opened up a new one.
After a standout senior season leading the District 1-5A champion Niceville girls soccer team from the front, the diminutive Howard signed a letter of intent with Central Florida Thursday in front of family, friends and teammates at Niceville.
The scene was a bittersweet moment for Howard, who moves on to a Knights program that posted a 10-win season in 2008 for the 22nd time in 28 years.
"I'm really excited to get it started," Howard said. "I'm a little nervous but I'm excited. I'm ready to go and have a new adventure."
Small in stature but certainly not lacking in talent, Howard was bred to be a goal-seeking soccer star from an early age.
Along with Breezy Hupp - the Choctawhatchee star that started her career with Florida State last month - Howard trained with local soccer guru Carlos Gonsalvez from the age of 8, which got her foot in the door with a number of talent-laden clubs. She quickly caught on with travel teams in Panama City and Pensacola, guest played with an elite travel team in San Diego and in two weeks she's playing in Las Vegas with her current travel team, FC Kyx out of Jacksonville.
Her talent got her noticed by the U.S. Women's National Team, where she's been in their development program for as long as she's been eligible, and she starred on a victorious U.S. team last year in Sweden in the Gothia Cup, the world's largest international soccer tournament.
"You can see by her size that she's very, very determined," said Jennifer Howard, Marleigh's mom. "She just has never, ever wavered."
Howard's steadfast dedication is no joke. She used to play with boys teams in middle school, she's trained with the famed Dr. James Andrews and trainers from the U.S. Women's National Team and she's been on a strict training diet passed down by a U.S. Army Ranger since she was 8.
"It's a big deal for her to drink a Sprite," Jennifer Howard said. "That kind of commitment is amazing." For Niceville coach Michael Denton, who watched Marleigh blossom during her four-year run, Thursday was the culmination of all the after-school runs, pre and postseason training sessions and countless games.
"I'm not replacing Marleigh next year," Denton said. "No one can step up and fill her role. She's just one of those players that you can't replace."
