Mayfield player earns European trip

Avery Thieman, a junior at Mayfield High School, will be playing soccer in England this spring.

Thieman was recently selected to join the EXACT 11 International Program. Nominated by

dozens of esteemed college coaches at EXACT College Showcase Camps, Thieman emerged

from a pool of thousands of athletes to earn the selection.

On the England trip, Thieman will train and compete with prominent professional soccer clubs abroad.

Thieman is an established player for Mayfield as well as for the regional club team Real Salt Lake-New Mexico, primarily serving as a winger and a defender. She is coached at both RSL-NM and Mayfield by Santiago Meza.

"When it comes to soccer, I like to think of myself as a utility player,” Thieman said. “I have

played all positions on the field, and I strive to give 110 percent no matter where I am to support the needs of the team."

Her “Swiss Army Knife” approach to soccer has made her a flexible and valuable asset for her teams.

"Being part of EXACT 11 means so much to me,” Thieman said. “It is providing me with the opportunity to make a dream come true and have the experience of playing in Europe. I am the only female athlete from New Mexico, and I hope to show everyone that we know how to play soccer in New Mexico."

Thieman’s list of athletic achievements includes being a three-year lettered starter in

soccer, serving as junior team captain. She lettered in track during her freshman and sophomore years, winning the Freshman Rising Track Award and Sophomore

High Point Sprinter Award.

Her college aspirations include playing soccer at a Division 1 level college, according to a news release.