Dr. Doolittle just might have a little competition.
OK, maybe not, but he’s definitely got something in common with Shannon Walsh: The love of animals.
Proof in his case is … well, he was a fictional character in children’s books … Proof in her case is the fact she is planning on majoring in the field of pre-veterinarian and going on to be a full-fledged vet one day.
As she put it: “Ever since I was little, I wanted to be ‘whatever the animal doctor was.’ And so, when I found out the name of what it was,” she laughed. Currently she owns two dogs, but has had two guinea pigs, “tons” of fish and horses along the way. “That has always been my dream.”
Soccer also fits that description/aspiration. In fact, it is soccer that’s about to give her the opportunity to make that dream become a reality. That’s because the Houston County High senior signed a scholarship Tuesday with Georgia Southwestern State University in Americus to continue playing soccer – and study pre-vet.
“I initially liked the school because of the pre-vet,” she said. “And then I went on a visit and met with the soccer coach and he asked me to practice with them and just kind of see what the school was like. And I just really fell in love with.”
“They really like how I led out of the back,” she said of the coaches’ response to her. “Because I play defense I’m really able to see the field. And just my leadership abilities and my vision as a player.”
Walsh wasn’t the only one to sign Tuesday.
Teammate Emily Burgess signed as well. In fact, they did so side-by-side … well, because they wouldn’t have it any other way, said Head Coach Eric DeVoursney.
“They came to me last year and told me they wanted to do this together,” he said. “They do everything together. Whenever we partner up on the field, they always pick to be with each other, so it’s only right they do this.”
DeVoursney went on to describe both as two the team leans on “big time” in terms of keeping things consistent for how things have been in the past.
“They’re kind of leaders of the team along with our other seniors and we rely on them a lot.”
Burgess signed with Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College in Tifton. It is, she said, a place she fell in love with when she toured it with her sister when she signed. (Burgess was a freshman at that time.)
“I just loved the campus,” she said. “I loved the dorms. I loved the coaches. I thought about it. I kept looking at colleges, but I just couldn’t get ABAC off my mind.”
Burgess went on to describe the soccer program as “awesome” but not “super serious. It’s serious enough, though,” she said. “It’s very competitive.”
It also has some familiar faces in teammates who have also signed – three within the past two years, DeVoursney said. (The 8-4-1 Lady Bears by the way will be playing for the Region 1-AAAAAA championship Friday at Lee County.)
“My coach really loved my sister and he really loves the way we play,” she said. “From the defense … I play the right back and he likes our passing skills and our placement of the ball.”
Playing since she was about 4, she said she plans to get her core done at ABAC – dual enroll – and then transfer to the University of Georgia to major in business.
That means Mustangs (ABAC) and Bulldogs for a while. Which could just be – once they’re separated and start missing each other – just the excuse Walsh needs for a house call.
