High schools: Carl Albert soccer standout Ciara Mitchell sticks to her word
Leave a commentMIDWEST CITY Carl Albert senior Ciara Mitchell committed to play college soccer at Central Oklahoma when she was 7 years old.
GIRLS HIGH SC! HOOL SOC CER: Carl Albert senior Ciara Mitchell, who has signed with the UCO soccer team, poses for a portrait at Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Thursday, April 12, 2012. Photo by Bryan Terry, The Oklahoman
Multimedia
OK, not officially.
When Mitchell attended one of her first soccer camps at UCO, she did so well that coach Mike Cook placed her with an older age group.
At the end of the weeklong camp, Mitchell got an award for her performance.
I looked at him and said, Coach Cook, I'm going to play for you one day,' Mitchell said.
He just looked back and said, OK', she added with a laugh.
In February, Mitchell fulfilled her lifelong dream by signing a letter of intent to play for Cook's UCO team.
As a player, she's very good, Cook said. Both feet are strong, and she's been around soccer for so long that she has a really good soccer brain.
But here at UCO, we're not just looking for good players. We try to recruit good people as well.
Cook doesn't remember the first time Mitchell vowed to play for him, but he does remember her constantly telling him she wanted to play at UCO.
Mitchell sent him emails. She came to a camp and sometimes two each summer, always reminding Cook that she would be coached by him one day.
She'd bring it up all the time, Cook said with a laugh.
Mitchell received interest from a few other schools, and even took a visit to one in South Carolina, but nothing else felt right.
