Local Youth Earns Spot At Regional Soccer Event

JuliAnn Harrison, a 10-year-old local girl, has been selected as one of 10 soccer players in her age group to represent the state of Oklahoma in an inter-regional soccer development event to be held next month in Tennessee.

Harrison has been playing in Cordell’s recreational soccer league since she was four years old and has also participated in Weatherford’s Futsal program. She is also part of the national Olympic Development Program, from which the 10 participants were selected.

The event in Tennessee provides the participants with exposure to college and professional coaches from around the region, who will spend two days working with the players to improve their soccer skills. They will also spend time in the classroom, learning the mental aspects of the game. On the final day, the girls will be pooled into teams and have the opportunity to showcase what they’ve learned against players from states all around the region. The coaches will observe the players, providing direct live feedback on their game play. The coaches will also select the players who will move on to the next level and represent the region in the national event.

In order to help Harrison get to the event, Shorty’s will be hosting a pancake dinner on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020. Dinner starts at 12:00 p.m. and will run until the pancakes run out. Harrison and a few of her teammates will be at Shorty’s to help serve the food. The cost is by donation. A Facebook fundraiser has also been launched to help cover the travel expenses.

“We would like to thank everyone for all the help, support, and encouragement in helping make one of JuliAnn’s dreams come true,” said her mother, Tarra Harrison.