'Roll-Up-Your-Sleeves' Style Leads Duo to Soccer Scholarships

Alex Meyers and Alex Weaver have shared the same soccer pitch for four years and plan to play together for another four years at the collegiate level.

Both have committed to play Division I women's soccer at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, a decision they made public at a ceremony at Oakton High on Feb. 3.

The two have worn the same uniform both as Oakton Cougars and Chantilly Burn, a Northern Virginia club team. Last spring, the duo helped the Cougars upset Westfield to win the program's first Concorde District title.

Meyers, a forward, and Weaver, a goalie, caught the eye of UNC Charlotte's head soccer coach John Cullen during the university's 2010 Winter ID Camp with their "hungry" style of play.

"I like to play a certain brand of player," Cullen said. "They have to be ultra-competitive, have great confidence and have high intensity competing against other players as well as themselves. Meyers and Weaver are both hungry players — the roll-up-your-sleeves kind of players that will bring great quality to the team."

With an impressive background of 11 years in both club and travel leagues, Meyers has definitely left her mark on the upper half of the field.

"When I was 9, I first started off playing half-time goalie and half-time midfield," Meyers said. "As I kept playing, they didn't have enough forwards for a game so they moved me up and I stayed."

Meyers received the BRYC Golden Boot Award in 2008 for her work as a forward, and became a leading scorer on the Burn from 2009 through 2011. Continuing to dominate on the field, she then received All-Met and All-Region honorable-mentions in 2009 and All-District honors in 2010 and 2011. Meyers was also a member of the Northern Virginia FC Super Y Championship team in 2010.

"Meyers offers a unique type of forward whom we will be looking to play more-so down the center of the pitch," Cullen said. "She will allow us to hold the ball up and link play around her, as well as be a threat on the end of services and crosses. She is a strong, powerful player who possesses a quality strike and is brave in and around the 18-yard box."

Former coach of the Oakton Cougars Kasey Davenport recalls Meyers as a "coach's dream."

"She is a tireless worker who pushes herself to get better each and every day," said Davenport, who now works as a goalkeeper coach at George Mason University. "I know that she has a bright future ahead of her."

Weaver did not find her way into the goal until her sophomore year after spending most of her soccer years as a defender. She quickly became a force to be reckoned with, becoming an All-District first team and All-Region second team as a junior.

“Weaver is very athletic, quick and has good hands. She will come in and provide depth to the goalkeeping position," Cullen said. "Two standout qualities we like in Alex are her technical ability to be very clean when handling shots or services, as well as her athleticism. Both allow her to be very effective and agile around the box."

Davenport complimented Weaver for both her playing ability and her effervescence.

"Alex Weaver is a kid that you want on your team for many reasons including her solid hands, and her competitive drive," Davenport said. "She can also be counted on to provide a smile and a laugh to practice when the team needs it most."

Weaver had originally committed to the University of South Florida in November. She then switched to UNC Charlotte to both pursue a career in Special Education and play alongside fellow teammate Meyers.

"Both are really fun schools," Weaver said. “[However,] UNC Charlotte is a great school with a great education and a great soccer program."

The position of goalkeeper is generally hard for incoming freshmen to attain, but Cullen said he believes Weaver will succeed.

"[Weaver] has the potential to challenge for that long-term spot," Cullen said. “She’s able to play more than one position," thus establishing Weaver as a formidable player in goal.

Meyers and Weaver are expected to graduate in mid-June and can be seen on the field flying Oakton’s colors this spring.