On Friday, April 27, 2018, Council Rock South seniors Julie Rebh, Sara McDonald, Callie Deola and Keira Flanagan were recognized for committing to continue their soccer careers at the collegiate level. To view photos of the event, please visit the Photo Gallery at the following link: https://solsports.zenfolio.com/p767698196 (Photos by Diana Leferovich)
“We had a special season, it was a special group, and it was certainly led by the seniors,” coach Nick Keim said. “They were freshmen in one of the only years that this program – it might be the only year in school history that they didn’t make the playoffs. Their last three years – I told them at the banquet they didn’t set the bar high. They created a whole new standard for the program. We have underclassmen that love the program because of what these seniors have done for us. As a coaching staff, it was a really, really fun year to be a part of with this group.”
Callie Deola – University of Scranton (Soccer)
Major: Biochemistry
Final list of colleges: Scranton, RIT, Gettysburg
Reasons for choosing Scranton: “University of Scranton has a great reputation for its science programs and a high percentage of students getting into medical school. I also loved the coaching staff for soccer.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in soccer at the collegiate level? “I always knew I wanted to play college soccer once I started playing 11vs.11. I loved how competitive the games were getting as I got older, and I knew I wanted to continue to play the sport for as long as possible. The recruiting process started my freshman year with college showcases, and I was visiting schools my junior year.”
Coach Nick Heim says: “Callie Deola was a four-year starter for us, which is kind of rare, but she and Julie Rebh were both that way. Callie played a little bit of outside mid for us the last couple of years and then she played outside back for us this past year. I can’t say how proud I am of Callie and who she is not just as a soccer player but as a teammate and as a student. She takes her academics very seriously. Callie and Julie Rebh are two of the highest IQ soccer players I’ve ever coached. Sometimes kids jump at the best soccer programs, but they both really wanted to go to schools where the academics were what they wanted and could help them flourish in the careers they were looking forward to.
“Callie was a first team all-league selection, and she was elected a unanimous captain by her peers. She was absolutely a leader for us. Even though she played in the back, she came up with some big goals for us this year. She was part of a defense that only gave up seven goals throughout the season, and the amount of games we played by the time we finished our state run – that’s quite a testament to those kids. She’s a tremendous worker. I had the pleasure of coaching one of her older sisters, and the family was a great family for the program. She’s just a dynamite kid, and she’s someone that you’re really glad the younger ones in the program can look up to.”
About Callie:
Favorite food: Pasta
Favorite movie: The Longest Ride
Favorite music: The Weekend.
Keira Flanagan – Bloomsburg University (Soccer)
Major: Health Sciences
Final list of colleges: Bloomsburg, The Citadel, West Chester, Bloomsburg
Reasons for choosing Bloomsburg: “Bloomsburg is close to home, and I liked the coach and the team.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in soccer at the collegiate level? “When I was 11 years old, I joined FC Bucks, a team made to prepare me for playing collegiate soccer. I started my recruiting process freshman year but decided to go to Bloomsburg my senior year.”
Coach Nick Heim says: “Keira is a three-year varsity player for us. She’s a very skilled player. She’s your prototypical forward – she’s physical, and to be successful in Suburban One, you have to be able to play that physical game. She’s pretty lethal around the penalty area, she strikes the ball really well, and she’s someone that you can give the ball to and she can shrug off a couple of defenders and hold up play while the rest of the team catches up on transition. She was the one on the team that kept things light for us. We were in some pretty pressure-packed situations, and she was never shy to crack a joke and make the team laugh and kind of remind everyone – this is serious stuff, but we’re here because it’s fun for us and let’s not forget that. She comes from a great soccer family that was really supportive of what we’re trying to build. She’s going to succeed at the next level because she’s a kid that loves the game. She’s a soccer junkie, if you will.”
About Keira:
Favorite food: Watermelon
Favorite movie: Elf
Favorite music: Post Malone
Sara McDonald – McDaniel College (Soccer)
Major: Kinesiology
Final list of colleges: McDaniel, Arcadia, Shippensburg, Rider
Reasons for choosing McDaniel: “Good vibe on campus and good team culture.
What was the progression that led you to competing in soccer at the collegiate level? “I’ve always wanted to play soccer in college since I was a little girl. Recruiting officially started when I got into sophomore year when I started playing in three or four showcases a year.”
Coach Nick Keim says: “Sara was a three-year varsity player for us. Her senior season she was injured quite a bit, but sometimes you find out a lot about kids when things aren’t going their way and they’re going through some type of adversity. I give Sara all the credit in the world. She put in more hours in our training room with our trainer to try and get healthy so she could contribute her senior season. It really is a testament to her dedication to her craft how much time and effort she put into rehabbing.
“Sara is a very skilled player. She’s quick – her first few steps with the ball are very dangerous. She played a lot of forward and a lot of outside mid for us. Over the last few years, she’s been that spark that we’d bring into a game if things weren’t going our way or we needed someone to lift up the level of play - she was there for us. She’s got a fantastic work ethic. She will always give 100 percent for you, and I think that’s the type of thing that will allow her to flourish at the next level.”
About Sara:
Favorite food: Mac and Cheese
Favorite movie: Guardians of the Galaxy
Favorite music: Shinedown or Panic! at the Disco
Julie Rebh – Haverford College (Soccer)
Major: Biology/Environmental Science
Final list of colleges: Haverford, Amherst, Williams College, Gettysburg
Reasons for choosing Haverford: “Haverford is a great school academically where I know I will be challenged to grow as an individual. When I met with the soccer coach, the program seemed organized, and when I went on my overnight, I really liked the team culture.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in soccer at the collegiate level? “I started thinking about whether I wanted to play in college around freshman year. My club team went to a lot of showcases, and I reached out to a bunch of coaches. As I got older, I narrowed down my list of prospective schools and figured out what I wanted from my college experience.”
Coach Nick Heim says: “Julie is very similar to Callie in that she’s a four-year starter and a unanimous team captain. She was a two-year captain. She was – along with Callie – the heart and soul of this team. She’s played a couple different positions in her time in high school. We played her at center mid this year, and she was dominant. We were successful this year because of what Julie was able to do both offensively and defensively in the midfield. She was a first team all-league selection, and she’s one of the brightest kids I’ve ever coached both in and out of the classroom. She’s another one who takes her studies very seriously, and as a teacher, that’s a testament to a kid. That’s what we look for when we try to build our program – the type of kids that are going to take it seriously academically as well. They’re students first.
“Julie came up with a massive goal early in a game with Pennsbury this year that really set the table for us to have a successful season. She’s one of the kids that as soon as the banquet ends her junior year she comes up to me and says, ‘We’re ready to go for next year. When can we get started again?’ You can’t teach that, you can’t coach that. There’s just a desire and love for the game that this group of seniors had. A lot of them played club ball together their whole life. It was a really special year because of kids like Callie and Julie and their leadership for us. She’s incredibly skilled, and if you tell her ‘Julie, I don’t want that girl – whoever the stud is on the other team – I don’t want her to touch the ball,’ she takes that as a challenge. She always asks what she can do better. She’s just a terrific kid.”
About Julie:
Favorite food: Watermelon
Favorite movie: Get Out
Favorite music: Everything
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