Graduating Pace High School senior, Alexis Lawson, is the first of her family to achieve a full-ride sports scholarship to Daytona State College for her skills on the soccer field. Her 11 plus years of work on the field, according to her father, are finally paying off.
At Wednesday’s press conference in the Pace High gym, Junior Varsity Girls Soccer Coach Chasity Jernigan said, “She is willing to do whatever it took to make her team better,” and noted she’s a versatile player.
Lawson, who said she can play various positions on the field, said she’s excited about going to Daytona for school but will miss her teammates and family. Lawson also plays for the Gulf Coast Texans Soccer Club and said she’s looking forward to more soccer as well as the Daytona beaches and meeting new people.
Not one to think only of sports and recreation, Lawson said she wants to study medicine with the aim of dermatology in mind. “I like helping people and I want a clean face,” she said.
Lawson’s family attended the press conference, Thursday, in support. Her brother, Tristan, 15 years old, said “She picked the right school,” in part because she loves the beach so much.
Angela, Lawson’s mother, said, “We’re just so proud. She’s the first to get a scholarship for any sport in the family.”
Dewey, Lawson’s father who is in the Coast Guard, said he thinks her game has improved after hearing about the scholarship. “The weight of the world is off her shoulders now.”
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Soccer athlete receives full ride to Daytona College