After many years of hard work and dedication to the sport she has always adored, sophomore Julia Pedati’s dream of becoming a soccer player have become a reality. Pedati verbally committed to the University of Oregon on a full-ride soccer scholarship as of the week of Feb. 10. After she graduates high school in 2016, she will be able to call herself a member of the soccer team at UO under coaches Kat Mertz and Hideki Nakada.

Not only has Pedati been successful in soccer but she is also nationally ranked in high jumping. Although she enjoys high jumping, soccer has always been her passion. She plays for Real So Cal as a part of the Elite National Club League and practices around 15 hours a week. Having dedicated so much of her time to soccer, receiving a soccer scholarship at such a young age is a huge achievement.  Committing to college so early may seem like a difficult decision for some, but Pedati feels the choice was easy and that Oregon is the perfect place for her.

“Accepting early on has allowed me to relax and not be stressed about college anymore,” said Pedati. “I am able to focus more on soccer now that I have already chosen a school.”

Apart from UO’s excellent soccer team, the overall welcoming atmosphere also contributes as to why Pedati decided to commit at such an early age. Although she has already accepted to UO, this does not mean she can start spending less time on soccer. Pedati is more than motivated than ever to work harder and try to grow even more as a soccer player.

“Soccer helps my motivation and work ethic because I am constantly working harder to improve my skill,” said Pedati.

When Pedati finally gets to play on the women’s team at the University of Oregon, she looks forward to playing with some of the top players in the nation and making lifelong friends. At the young age of 16, she already has a promising future ahead of her.