As a freshman Haley Thomas told new Bryan County girls’ soccer coach Kristen Barnhill that her goal was to play soccer in college. Barnhill told her if that was her goal then she would do everything to help her achieve it–but there had to be a commitment.

“I remember meeting Haley in my math class,” Barnhill said. “She was a little shy and unsure of herself. As I got to know her, she told me her goal was to get a scholarship to play soccer in college.

“I told her I would help her with that but she couldn’t take any days off, that she had to put in the work not only on the field but in the classroom,” Barnhill said. “And that’s what she did. She put in the work.

“She has maintained a 3.5 GPA while playing multiple sports a year. Sometimes even multiple sports in the same season. Haley showed up every day.”

That work and determination paid off as Thomas turned that dream into reality last week when she signed to play soccer at Georgia Military College.

In doing so Thomas, an excellent all-around athlete who has also played volleyball, flag football, boys’ football and ran track during the course of her career, became the first Bryan County girls’ soccer player to sign a college scholarship.

Last fall Thomas was a kicker on the football team and when flag football started in October, she played quarterback. In doing so she was the only female athlete in Georgia to be on both a boys and girls football team.

While Thomas gave several sports a whirl, soccer was her true passion and the sport she saw as giving her the greatest opportunity to get where she wanted to go and to deal with any problems life threw her way.

“Soccer has been my out for any problems I’ve ever had,” Thomas said. “I had big family issues growing up and so soccer was a way of going out and building like a new family.

“And I like seeing myself succeed at something. I was able to do that in soccer.”

Barnhill came to Bryan County from Southeast Bulloch four years ago and took over a program which had had limited success. With players like Thomas, juniors Kolbie English and Liz Harvey and Skylar Lee, who graduated last year, she has made the Redskins respectable.

Bryan County (6-11) will play at Irwin County next Tuesday in the second round of the Class A-DII state playoffs. This is the third straight year in the playoffs and last year the Redskins set a school record with 10 wins while posting the school’s first ever playoff win.

“Haley and Baleigh Thurston are the only seniors who have been with me for four years,” Barnhill said. “Our first year together was rough. We won only one game and that only made Haley work harder.

“Haley worked in the off-season on her skills and fitness. Every chance she got she was on the field. After that first year, she has helped push us into the state playoffs each year. She has helped change the culture of the soccer team here and raise expectations.”

Thomas admitted that her commitment to soccer was tested when she was a freshman and she suffered an injury but got some advice from a former coach which has stayed with her.

“I dealt with my first ever injury in anything,” said Thomas who lives with her grandmother Laurie Evans. “It really pushed me back and made me question whether to continue playing but because of an old coach, John Wetherington, I continued playing.

“He told me in case of an injury the next day (the goal) is to get better. If you want it more, you got to prove it. I say for every game you’ve got to show you want it more. I’ve always had that mindset.”

Thomas will be joining a high-powered GMC program. The Bulldogs were 12-2-2 last season and under 12-year coach Courtney Morgan has made three straight NJCAA District 17 championship games.