From golf recruit to women’s soccer team member, Maybel Harris’s experience as a student-athlete at Southern Virginia University hasn’t gone as expected. But, she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I was recruited to play golf at SVU, so that’s what I did my freshman year,” said Harris, who is majoring in business management. “In 2021, I was playing a pickup soccer game with some friends, and the word got out that I was decent at kicking a ball around a field.”
Women’s soccer coach, Rob Dahl, called her later that week about joining the team, Harris played in the next game, and the rest is history.
“Soccer has always been my passion — I’ve played it since kindergarten,” she added. “I wanted to play again, and this was an opportunity I didn't think was possible.”
Playing for a team like SVU’s can enhance your college experience in a variety of ways. We’ve asked Harris and her teammate, Hailey Gadd, to share some things that future players should know about being part of the team. Read on to find out what they said.
When it came time to choose a college, Gadd knew about SVU — but she told her parents she was never going to go to SVU (an NCAA Division III school).
“What I wanted was to play at a large Division I school close to my home in Utah,” said Gadd, a biology major. “My parents really encouraged me to reach out to Coach Dahl, which I was very hesitant about.”
Gadd agreed to a phone call with Dahl where the coach explained the culture of the team and university, and said he really wanted her to play soccer for him. Gadd still wasn’t convinced, but Dal stayed in touch. Months later, over Christmas break, he was in Utah and drove two hours to meet with Gadd in person.
“During the visit, he said something that really changed the way I was going about my recruiting process,” she said. “While talking about the team, he said, ‘We don’t want you, we need you.’ For the first time ever, I started including SVU as a potential school for me. Two months later, before even seeing the campus, I committed to play soccer for Coach Dahl.”
Gadd will never forget how Dahl went the extra mile to help her realize SVU was the right fit — and the support has continued over her more than two years on the team. But it’s not just Dahl who cares. It’s the whole SVU training and coaching staff.
“I think that SVU has the best trainers and coaches in the world!” Gadd said. “Having Chad Mahaffey as my athletic trainer is the best. He’s so experienced and knowledgeable that I trust him with any injury that could happen. He helps everyone and cares about us so much.”
Then, there’s the sports performance coach, Jake Barney, who Gadd said “pushes us to be the best athlete on and off the field, and wants to help us achieve our goals.”
“Having these people in my life has truly allowed me to thrive and be the best athlete I can be,” she added.
Thinking about how to juggle schoolwork with games and practices can seem like a challenge. But Gadd and Harris have both developed strategies to help them make the most of their days.
For example, during the season, Harris tries to schedule her classes for early in the day.
“This way, I can get all my schoolwork done in the morning and afternoon, so when practice comes around I fully focus, without having to stress about assignments,” she said. “Also, the off-season is when I typically take classes that might be harder academically or are scheduled at a weird time during the day.”
Since she doesn’t have a lot of free time during the season, Harris also tries to focus on mental recovery when she does, which might include watching a TV show or playing Mario Kart.
“The off-season is a different story, as there’s usually more free time, because we don't practice every day and aren't traveling for games on the weekends,” Harris added. “Then, I’ll spend my free time on getting better at soccer — whether it's going for a run, getting an extra workout in, or getting some touches on the ball.”
During the season, Gadd goes to the team’s scheduled weight training in the morning and then to classes that run into the early afternoon. After classes, she’ll stop by the training room to do some treatment or recovery work for her body, and will then go home and do as much homework as possible before practice or a game.
“Managing schoolwork can definitely be tricky — especially during the season,” Gadd said. “To make sure I’m successful, I have a planner I fill out weekly, writing down every assignment and test I need to get done that week. This works well for me, even when I’m on the road at an away game.”
Even though things slow down a bit during the off-season, Gadd likes that there’s still a steady schedule of team activities to complement her coursework, including speed and weight training and three evening practices each week.
And like Harris, she also tries to take her more difficult classes in the off-season when she’s not as busy and can better focus on them.
One thing that SVU is known for is its small class sizes, with the average size being 15 students. This is something that both Gadd and Harris really appreciate about choosing to play at the university.
“Because of the small class sizes, your professors know you and can help you in ways that professors at larger universities can’t,” Gadd said. “SVU’s professors genuinely care about you and want you to succeed. They’re on your side, and I appreciate that they’re willing to work with our sports schedules.”
Being in smaller classes has helped Harris do better academically, because she’s had a chance to get to know her professors.
“Getting to know the professors on a more personal level makes it easier for me to ask for help if I have a hard time understanding any of the material,” she said. “I have to say that SVU has given me a perfect balance of soccer and school. I never feel like I'm drowning in schoolwork, but I also never feel like I’m getting burned out on soccer.”
For Gadd, one of the best things about being on the team has been the opportunity to contribute to a community — and watch amazing things happen.
“In my freshman year, we reached the conference championship for the first time ever, and in my sophomore year we won the conference championship,” she said. “It’s been really beneficial to be a part of that success, and along the way my teammates have become lifelong friends.”
She emphasized that the women on the team are committed to each other, both on the field and off.
“As important as soccer is, you are a student-athlete and academics really do come first,” she said. “We hold each other accountable to want to succeed in the classroom as much as we want to succeed on the field.”
Harris also feels like she’s personally benefited from being part of the team.
“I’ve met some of my best friends,” she added. “Rob Dahl brings in some of the best girls, and those relationships have turned into lifelong friendships.”
Finally, Harris also said that the team experience has helped her develop a lot of leadership experience, as she’s been team captain since 2021.
“I’ve gained so much experience helping manage others,” she said. “I’ve learned that not everyone will be happy all the time, which has taught me how to manage myself, others, and the team as a whole.”
Are you a Latter-day Saint looking for a university that offers women’s soccer that will also value your faith? SVU is ready to welcome you.
It’s the only college that offers NCAA Division III athletics within a faith-supportive environment for Latter-day Saints. Ready to start your student-athlete journey? Head to the team page to get started.
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