On Wednesday, a signing ceremony was held at Warren Gym for 10 Brownwood Lion and Lady Lion seniors who will continue their athletic and academic careers collegiately.
Since his freshman season, Caleb Nelson has been an integral part of the Brownwood Lions soccer program, helping lead the revitalization with a pair of playoff berths and bi-district championships the past two seasons. The hard work and dedication paid off with an invitation to join the LeTourneau University soccer program – a member of the American Southwest Conference along with Howard Payne.
“It means everything,” Nelson said of continuing his soccer career. “I’ve always wanted to try and go pro and this is the next step on the ride. I get to play college and have a chance to get in front of semi-pro and pro scouts and see where I go from there.”
Regarding the decision to attend LeTourneau, Nelson said, “I’ve been around a lot of camps, a lot of college recruiting, and at one of the games I had a really good performance, a hat trick, and the coaches came up and talked to me afterward. I got to know the coaches, really liked them and started researching the school and it went from there.”
As a senior, Nelson was tabbed Midfield MVP of District 5-4A and was also a first-team all-district selection while helping guide the Lions to a 13-12-1 overall record and third-place league finish.
Lions soccer head coach Michael Westerman said of Nelson, “To have an athlete like Caleb come through your program is very rare. He’s a phenomenal individual in the classroom and on the field, and he excels in every area of his life. He’s a tremendous leader and a great example both on the field and off the field. He’s led this program all four years he’s been in high school. He dealt with a lot of adversity and at it times it can be a test of your character and what kind of player you are, so I’ve very proud he was able to finish his last two years with a lot of success and earning gold balls in the playoffs his junior and senior years.”
As for what he will miss most about his time as a Lion, Nelson said, “The bus rides, the games, just being around the guys is the best part. Having people to be around is always fun. Along with all the wins, that’s the best part.”
