The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Better keep your eye on this one.

Ellie Wiltse-Hiatt, a sixth grader at John C. Thomas Middle School, was recently selected along with 35 other 12-year-old girls in the region to play for an elite soccer team in the Olympic Development Program. According to the website, the program's philosophy is to "identify players of the highest caliber" to "lead to increased success for the U.S. National teams in the international arena."

Ellie is the daughter of Adrianne and Matt Wiltse-Hiatt. Adrianne is originally from Winlock and Matt attended Mark Morris. They moved to Cathlamet last year along with Ellie and her little sister, Avery.

"Matt was the hitting coach for Lower Columbia College baseball for 10 years," Adrianne said, "but then we had daughters and they liked softball and soccer. He decided he needed to learn, in order to teach the kids."

Ellie has been playing soccer since she was six. She will add ODP play to her time on the field with the Timber Barons, a select soccer team in Cowlitz County. According to mom, the team has chosen to go up a level to premier this year, because they have Ellie.

Ellie practices two hours a day, most of the time with her dad, unless friends come over. Then she plays with them.

"I think it's a lot of fun," Ellie said. "It's more fun when I get to play better players because it's challenging."

Her face shines while she talks about it, but she's kind of embarrassed too. She hasn't even mentioned it to her best friend and won't

speak

of it in school.

The tryout for the ODP for Oregon and southwest Washington was in Eugene and according to Adrianne, most of the kids were from Portland, Salem and Eugene. Hundreds of kids turned out for the tryout. Ellie's number was 795.

"Anyone can try out," Adrianne said, "but you have to be very good for your age level to make the team."

The coaches look for technique, tactics and attitude as well as fitness and athletic ability.

"I'm a striker," Ellie grins, when asked what position she plays.

A striker, according to Adrianne, is a descriptive word for a forward, a very aggressive forward and Ellie has chosen her word on purpose.

"They had her practicing with older girls because her own age group wasn't challenging her, Adrianne said. "They were scrimmaging, and she was in the mix. She made a run in front of the goal and a girl crossed a ball, but it didn't have very much loft. It came in like a bullet and Ellie? All she could do was deflect it off her chest, into the goal. Every other kid on the field ducked, but Ellie, the smallest girl on the field, took it."

"Ellie has done crazy stuff. The coaches already think she does amazing things, but they have only seen a small portion of what she can do."

Adrianne shared another story.

"Last summer we were at a friend's house and all the kids were playing," Adrianne said. "Ellie had a bad bike accident. She broke some teeth, had a fat lip and road rash all over. She had a soccer game the next day."

Ellie wondered if this meant she would have to miss her game.

"I suggested that if there was ever a day to take off, this might be the day," Adrianne said. "You look crazy, I told her. I will look like a really bad parent if I let you play."

All beat up, the girl still wanted to play. The coach took one look at Ellie and then he took another. Ellie smiled at him with her fat lip and two broken front teeth. Then he looked at Adrianne.

"No!" she said. "I am not to blame and I did not tell her she had to play!"

Ellie's favorite soccer players are Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Alex Morgan and Christine Sinclair. She hopes to attend the University of Oregon and play for both the softball and soccer teams.

Along with her athletic ability, she is also a good student. Grades come out soon and she's pretty sure she's gotten her second 4.0 for the year. She likes her new school and thinks the smaller class sizes are great.

"There is a good chance that she will go to Oregon," Adrianne said. "She might do more, if she wants to."