By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Radford High School will have a representative in this summer’s state all-star contest. Goalie Thor Sproule was invited to participate earlier this week in the 2019 Virginia Soccer Coaches Association (VSCA) Senior Showcase July 13 at the University of Lynchburg.
The 6-6, 210 pound senior served as team captain and was a first-team all-Three Rivers District selection, finishing the year with 168 saves, while keeping eight clean sheets. He’ll be one of only 36 players from across the state to participate.
His coach, Mark Layne, called him a blessing to the program and an honor to coach.
“He gave us confidence every time we stepped on the field and made the players around him better,” Layne said. “We have a strong young core of players returning and the excitement is already there for next year, but filling Thor’s shoes will be tough. I say that literally and figuratively, because he wears like a size 15.”
Radford had a tough schedule this year, with eight of their sixteen regular season games coming against Class 3 and Class 4 opponents. Sproule was solid all season and instrumental in the Bobcats late season run. The boys won seven of their last eight, including six straight, and outscored opponents 21-1. Thor came up big and shutout opponents in six of those games.
Sproule feels privileged to have been chosen to play in the all-star contest. “I’m excited to get to compete against other great soccer players from across the state,” he said.
Sproule will attend William & Mary with plans to concentrate on his academics while hanging up his cleats.
Layne is hoping his prized player might decide to walk-on at W&M.
”I’d love to see him at least try and walk on and maybe this showcase will encourage him to do that. He made some D1 saves for us this season and several against Blacksburg. Never know what can happen during the pre-season at that level and he could find himself in the right place. You see kids every season that could play somewhere, not many at D1, but could play somewhere. Thor could do that. He’d make somebody a good keeper,” the coach said.
Sproule plans to major in Engineering Physics and minor in Environmental Science and Policy.
“I want to graduate from college, get a job in some kind of engineering or environmental work. Even though I don’t plan on collegiate soccer, I still want to be active in my life,” he concluded.
