Ravenwood senior soccer star Karlie Paschall has made it clear she is one of the best players in the state by taking home All-Midstate honors each of the past three seasons, but she recently proved she was among the best in the nation when she was named to the 2016 American Family Insurance All-USA Preseason Girls Soccer Team.
“This was just a huge point for me because my entire high school career I’ve been so focused on just trying to get better and trying to improve,” said Paschall. “To get the award was incredible.”
Paschall said she knew the All-American selection was a possibility, but it still came as a surprise.
“I didn’t fully expect it,” she said. “I knew I had the opportunity to get that, but I also knew it took a lot of hard work and preparation.”
Not only did the selection catch her off guard, but she discovered she had made the cut by checking her Twitter account.
“I actually found out through social media,” said Paschall. “I was mentioned in a tweet, which is the craziest way to find out, but I didn’t believe it at first because it was so surreal.”
Paschall was named 2014 Gatorade Tennessee Player of the Year as a sophomore behind 42 goals and 19 assists, but only netted 10 goals in 2015 thanks to injuries. Now, as Paschall approaches her senior season and prepares to take her talents to Duke, where she plans to attend after Ravenwood, she’s doing so with a newfound assurance she’s on the right track.
“I think that this is not only a huge confidence booster for me, but for the whole Ravenwood team,” said Paschall. “It’s nice knowing that people look at us and pay attention to us. It just lets me know that hard work always pays off.”
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