PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — A young soccer star from Palm Beach County just received a big honor as her career continues to flourish.
Soccer coach Mark Dawson spoke about what he thought about Carson Proctor's playing skills the first time he saw her play.
"I think she had a lot of natural ability, her stature, her height," Dawson said.
Combine that with work ethic and Proctor's game continues to grow.
"She's kind of got no fear ... which is important for a goalkeeper because you put your head at people's feet," Dawson said.
At the age of 4, Proctor began playing soccer. Over the years she's played for youth teams, Jupiter High School soccer, FC Prime in Sunrise and recently she got the call-up to the U.S. under-17 women's national team.
"I just got an email to go to the camp for the national team," Proctor said. "I was really surprised, but there's no Wi-Fi at school, so I was kind of like freaking out trying to open the email, and I couldn't get it open, but I was so excited."
Proctor considers herself a student of the goalkeeper position.
"I just feel the most comfortable in goalkeeper," she said. "I love the pressure that it puts on me, and I feel like the pressure I get when playing when the game is on the line pushes me to do better than I already am."
Proctor has a hectic schedule with school at Jupiter High School, training and having a social life at 17 years old. Her father, Brian, said it's a testament to his daughter's maturity.
"It's amazing to me when I see athletes who can balance a very rigorous academic schedule and very rigorous practice and travel schedules," her father said. "Don't get me wrong, it doesn't come easy to her. She works for it."
Proctor said all of what she's accomplished wouldn't happen without the support of her parents.
"They know that I want to play college soccer, and they know I want to get to the highest level," Proctor said. "They're doing everything they can to help me."
Proctor said she's already committed to a school not only for soccer but academics. At the moment she's not able to say which college it is but it's an Ivy League school.
