Ashley Meier, girl among boys

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Apr 6, 2012

[FOUR THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT ...] Ashley Meier, the 2011 National Soccer Coaches Association of America Girls High School Player of the Year, has received a callup to the U.S. under-20 women's national team camp that begins Monday. She has spent six years playing with the Cleveland Whitecaps -- an Ohio boys team. For four things to know about Meier ...

SWITCHOVER. Meier credits her success to her switch from playing girls club soccer to playing with her "brothers" on the Whitecaps boys team. "I could play with a very good group of girls, or I could play with an average group of guys," Meier told the Strongsville Post. "They've taught me so much. [The girls game] is just a lot slower. Then you go to the national team perspective and it's just one-touch soccer, so it's like playing with guys."

MS. OHIO. Meier led Strongsville High School to the 2011 Ohio Division I state title with a 21-2-0 record. The Mustangs ran off 17 straight wins and clinched the crown with a 1-0 win over Dublin Jerome. Meier had 17 goals and 13 assists.

FUTURE HOKIE. Meier's sister, Alyssa, is a defender in her second year at Pitt, but Ashley chose to attack Virginia Tech. She should see plenty of playing time as a freshman since the Hokies graduate four midfielders.

ON THE RADAR. Meier had most recently attended the U.S. under-18 women’s national team's January training camp that ran almost concurrently with the U.S. under-20 camp. She had also trained with some U-20s at an October camp for players born in 1993 and 1994.