The Anne Arundel Youth Soccer Association (AAYSA) has announced a $2,000 scholarship for each of its seven Green Hornets players who are set to embark on undergraduate studies this fall.
Scholarship Recipients and Their Aspirations
Gray Gardner, a recent county champion with the Green Hornets, will enroll at Anne Arundel Community College, where he plans to build on his high‑school soccer triumphs while pursuing his studies.
Emma Ritter, who credits the sport with teaching her resilience, will attend Emory University to double‑major in East Asian studies and neuroscience, aiming for a career in medicine.
Dash Havens, a multi‑sport athlete with fifteen years of soccer experience, is headed to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to study physics and minor in finance, viewing the scholarship as a validation of his lifelong dedication.
Ava McPhee, an eighth‑grader who scored the winning penalty in the Green Hornets championship, will head to Binghamton University to study psychology before eventually becoming a psychiatrist.
Colin King, who values the friendships forged on the field, will study operations management and business statistics at the University of Maryland, while Logan Jones, who remembers a standout goal in his final high‑school game, will major in finance at the University of Miami.
Tanner Strom, who plans a mission trip to Tucumán, Argentina, before attending Brigham Young University, reflects on how a challenging season taught him valuable lessons about fun and perseverance.
AAYSA’s scholarship program not only eases the financial burden of higher education but also underscores the organization’s commitment to developing well‑rounded leaders. By supporting diverse academic paths — from community college to elite research institutions — the initiative highlights how soccer can be a catalyst for personal growth, discipline, and future success.