Find out how this Augusta-area 18U girls soccer team punched its ticket to USYS Nationals

For many members of the Bulls 2006 soccer team, the reality of a national championship berth hasn’t yet sunk in.

“I can’t even put it into words,” rising Greenbrier senior Natalie Heckathorn said. “I feel like when we get down there it will, but right now it feels like a dream.”

The Bulls qualified for the U.S. Youth Soccer (USYS) National Championships next week in Orlando, Fla., securing one of only eight coveted spots in the tournament. They were the only team from Georgia or South Carolina to qualify. The team travels this weekend and will play games Tuesday-Thursday and will compete in the finals over the weekend.

The games can be streamed via the Veo Live app.

How the Bulls punched their ticket to USYS National Championships

For Heckathorn, this is something she and her teammates have been waiting for since they joined the Bulls program back in their elementary school days.

“We never thought it would be our thing,” she said. “We came short in state a few years and we were like, ‘Oh, we get to go to regionals,’ but never expected us to make it to the championship game and now we’re here getting to go to nationals. It’s really crazy how far we’ve come.”

Despite the early exits over the past few seasons, Bulls’ director of coaching Andrew Hammer said it was the girls’ perseverance that led them to the championships this time around.

“Most of them have played together since they were 8, 9 or 10 years old. Getting to USYS Nationals is a really, really big accomplishment,” he said. “They’ve been close the last three or four years and had some heartbreaking losses and they never gave up. They always came back and continued to fight and claw and did it this year.”

While emotions could be high going into Orlando, it’s important to take in the experience.

“Go have fun. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Hammer said. “Go enjoy it and cherish the moment. They will tell their kids about this weekend.”

USYS Bulls feature a deep group of Augusta-area talent

While it’s their first time making it this far as a team, this Bulls squad certainly doesn’t lack experience on the biggest stage. Much of this roster helped Greenbrier qualify for the Georgia High School Association Class 5A state title game two years ago and added another deep playoff run this past season.

While many of these players have been playing alongside one another since the fifth grade, they’ve also competed against one another at the high school level. Most of the roster comes from high school programs around the CSRA, and Heckathorn said that doesn’t hurt things from a chemistry standpoint.

“Most of us have stayed together for the seven years,” she said. “I think it really helps with our chemistry and our friendship. We choose to hang out with each other outside of soccer. It’s not just a forceful thing where you have to come to practice and see each other.”

Even if things can get heated on the pitch during the high school season.

“At the end of the game,” Heckathorn said, “We still love each other.”

While the team is Greenbrier-heavy, many Augusta-area schools are represented with this group. Here's a breakdown of the Bulls' roster.

Evans

Wren Chochol

Addison Quinn

Lakeside

Johanna Jones

Lillian Sheffield

Delilah Burns (played as guest in Southeast Regionals)

Greenbrier

Madison Crouch

Natalie Heckathorn

Madelyn Heckathorn

Jaliyah Neff

Mary Madison Grover

Molly Grover

Avah McGinley

Lilly O’Neal

Sophie Campanaro

Aaliyah Silver

Sarah Newland (regular season participant)

Grovetown

Madison Wintrode

Harlem

Kamryn Simmons

Fox Creek

Analiese Bell

Statesboro

Gracen Adams

Aiken

Madi Rich (regular season participant)

South Aiken

Megan Coffman (regular season participant)