London Davis (12) embraced the role of soccer goalkeeper at an early age. Now, Davis has committed to California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) to goalkeep for its D-I team.
“At age five, you don’t tend to have a goalkeeper,” Davis said. “The main reason I became goalkeeper was kind of funny,” Davis said. “It was because I hated the running aspect of soccer, and my coach was like, ‘I have the perfect position for you,’ and she put me in as a goalkeeper.”
Davis was driven by a love for sports rather than a specific inspiration; she found that soccer was the right fit for her.
“I didn’t really have an inspiration to start playing soccer,” Davis said. “Ever since I was little, I’ve always liked sports, and I’ve always been an athletic person. I think soccer is what I really took to, and that’s what I ended up sticking with.”
Last summer, Davis and her club team played in Surf Cup, a large national soccer tournament where many colleges recruit.
“I performed really well in my first game of Surf Cup,” Davis said. “CSUB was watching, and after my game, they told me they wanted me. I had already been on their radar, and that game finalized their decision. The next week, I went and visited the college. I loved the campus. They gave me a month to accept or decline after Surf Cup, and I accepted.”
Davis said she chose CSUB to fulfill her dreams of playing D-I soccer in college.
“I was in contact with other colleges, so it was really hard to let them go after committing to Bakersfield,” Davis said. “A big reason I chose Bakersfield was because of my height. There are very few D1-I goalkeepers under the height of 5’6”, and I’m 5’4,” so I didn’t get as many opportunities as a taller goalkeeper would have. And so I thought that if I want the chance to play at D-I level, I need to go to any D-I school that I can. I’ve always had the dream of playing at the highest level that I could play at, and Bakersfield gives me that opportunity.”
Davis said she is excited for her future playing the sport.
“I’m looking forward to walking in and competing,” Davis said. “I’m ready for change. Club soccer was fun, and I made some great friends along the way, but I’m ready to play at a higher level. I am excited to continue my soccer career as a Runner, and I am so grateful for the opportunity that I got to be able to play there.”
