Oxford teen heading off to Indiana on a soccer scholarship

Ava Makedos is heading to Indiana to begin a soccer and academic scholarship at Taylor University. (Contributed photo)

Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

18-year-old Oxford County resident Ava Makedos is getting the opportunity to do what many athletes don’t – living her dream.

The member of the U18 Woodstock F.C. team is off to Indiana in two weeks on a soccer and academic scholarship to play for Taylor University in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. The NAIA is the governing body for small college athletic programs. Taylor is a private, Christian school with an enrollment of less than 2,000 undergraduate students.

“Ever since grade seven, I’ve wanted to go to the states to play at a high level. I have a love for the game and I want to play the game but at the same time get an education.”

Ava is taking elementary education in the hopes of becoming a teacher, hopefully at the grade one to four level. On the field, she is a center attacking midfielder and the Echo asked her what in her game the school liked.

“I think my creative ability and putting balls through. I can also score from that position and I did score a lot of goals two years ago which is the year I was recruited.”

She has played nine years in Woodstock and spent one season in London in a premier league. She added committing to the Indiana school was an easy decision.

“The campus is big but the population is small. It’s so beautiful. The field is astroturf and I love playing on it. I was getting looked at by other schools but this was my top pick and they offered me a scholarship quickly. I knew I wanted to go there.”

Ava also has a part-time summer job at Thames River Melons and will make the trip stateside August 2 and will move into her new digs August 4. She’s put a lot of work into not only her game but also training to be in the best shape possible.

“I have my soccer schedule for Woodstock and my Taylor schedule which is Monday through Saturday and includes running long and short distances, ball skills, lifting, all of that.”

She had many people to thank for helping her get to this point, but at the top of the list was her father, Metaxas.

“He’s coached me for almost my entire career. He helped me get the scholarship, contacted coaches, took me to camps and helped me with my skills. He was there for me the most, along with my mom (Sherry) too.”

Metaxas said she and his family will miss Ava when she leaves, but it’s what she wants.

“It’s been her dream for a long time. She picked the perfect school for her and her personality and I think she’s going to flourish there. We are so proud. She was always the quiet one at practice but always one of the hardest-working players at practice.”

He added Ava stayed after practice or asked to go to the field on a non-practice day and explained how attending a camp played a pivotal role in her desire to play American college soccer.

“Going to Notre Dame and participating in an elite women’s camp and seeing the university culture really inspired her.”

Metaxas said the women’s game still has a long way to go in terms of competing with men’s soccer and other sports, but a lot of progress is being made.

“A new women’s professional league is starting in Canada so we are very excited about that. Champions League teams are now running women’s programs in Europe, the National Women’s Soccer League is up and running in the US and doing quite well. When you watch international women’s soccer the stands are full.”

He added once young girls see high-level women’s soccer in the spotlight it inspires them to work towards accomplishments like Ava’s. As for any desire to play at a professional level following her university career, Ava said she has other ideas.

“I want to have family and kids so badly. I feel if I did go professional, I’d have to wait longer because I’d have a child and then go back to playing. Maybe for a few years, but I don’t think it would be a long-term thing.”

Her younger sister, 15-year-old Sophia, plays with Ava on the U18 team. She also has an older sister, Madelyn who is 21 and also played soccer in Woodstock.

Ava’s games will be broadcast live on YouTube.