Los Alamos mid-fielder Charlotte Leonard will be a Mountaineer next year. Leonard will be attending Western State Colorado University in Gunnison and plans to play soccer for the school as well.
“She’s a coach’s dream,” Los Alamos head girls’ soccer coach Gary Ahlers said. “She’s a high-energy player and will attempt to do anything you ask her.”
Leonard plays outside midfielder for the ’Toppers, running from end line to end line to play defense and offense.
She also plays club soccer Albuquerque’s Rush ’98 Nero.
“I love club, it’s so much fun,” Leonard said. “Not only has high school helped me, but club also benefitted me as a player.”
Leonard said Western’s coach, Jeremy Clevenger, first contacted her when she was a freshman.
He wanted to see her play, so Leonard and teammate Emily Hopkins attended Western’s summer camp.
“I was terrified,” Leonard said. “I was the youngest one there and college was such a distant thought.”
This last spring, Clevenger reached out to Leonard again and invited her to a recruitment camp. When she showed up, it was just her and two other girls at the camp.