FLC star will play in SoCal
By Zuri Berry, zurib@theunion.com
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12:01 a.m. PT Mar 27, 2008
Forest Lake Christian's star soccer player Jessica Raskin has signed a letter of intent to play for Southern California's Biola University next season.
Raskin will play for the private Christian university after turning down scholarship offers at other Christian colleges, San Diego Christian and William Jessup. Instead, she'll forfeit the professed offers as well as athletic aid for a school she says felt right.
"It's the school I felt that fit me as a person," Raskin said of Biola, which charges $34,000 per year and plays in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.
Raskin, who signed her letter of intent in January, is last season's Central Valley Christian League MVP, garnering the accolade after netting 15 goals and adding a team-high six assists in the Falcons' 2007 campaign.
Through 13 games this season, she leads FLC (3-8-2, 3-0 CVCL) with nine goals and four assists.
Part of her allure was she also played for the Sac United Spitfire, a club team in south Sacramento.
"They helped me a lot because we're state ranked," Raskin said. "When you're ranked that high, colleges will normally come to your games. All the coaches get handbooks of the players."
One of her first perks of playing at the next level is a trip to Japan with her soon-to-be Eagles teammates.
Raskin, as well as the other Eagles, are fundraising $2,500 each to take the trip, which will focus on "playing soccer and seeing it through God's eyes."
"It's kind of like camp," she said. "We're going to travel to three different parts of Japan and we're going to learn about God."
To contact Sports Writer Zuri Berry, e-mail zberry@theunion.com or call 477-4244.
