After setting her sights on playing soccer in college at an early age, Alexis Westerfield never wavered en route to achieving her goal. On Wednesday, the Owensboro senior signed to play at Kentucky Wesleyan College to cap off years of hard work.
Westerfield said there were plenty of difficult moments along the way.
“It was always a goal of mine to play in college,” she said. “Since I first started playing soccer I knew what I wanted to do and what I was aiming for. There were sad moments and happy moments. It was a crazy roller coaster.”
Westerfield started with the Owensboro soccer program as a 5th grader, and even then OHS head coach Casey Cundiff saw her potential.
“You could see the athletic ability then,” Cundiff said. “The girl could run. It was fun watching her grow up not only as a player but as a person.”
On top of her dual duties as student and athlete, Westerfield also worked all through high school. She said finding the balance was oftentimes difficult, but it all paid off when she signed with the Panthers.
“Sometimes it was stressful,” she said. “It was overwhelming, but it turned out ok. It feels like I just got some weight off my shoulders, tons of it.”
Cundiff said despite her busy schedule, Westerfield never faltered in her commitment to the team. She finished her varsity career with the second-most assists in OHS history.
“All the way through her senior year, she always showed up and had the work ethic,” Cundiff said. “She was going to outrun everybody. She would show up with the mindset that she wanted to get better and she was going to work hard. I think it rubbed off on all the other kids.”
As she moves on, he said her experience with balancing school and sports will allow her to be successful in both aspects as a Panther.
“To me, the best part is she’s going to go to college and get an education to further her career in whatever she wants to do,” he said. “With her work ethic, it’s going to be easy for her.”
Westerfield said she owed a lot to her coaches, and she was able to excel because she surrounded herself with positivity and people who showed support. She can continued to rely on that support system since she gets to stay local by attending Wesleyan, and Westerfield said she’s looking forward to the opportunity.
“It’s exciting,” she said. “It’s a new experience and I can’t wait to get started.”
