The women’s soccer team ended the 2024 season with a score of 11-4-1, tying with Itawamba but falling short of the penalty kicks by 4-3. Although the Bobcats lost the quarterfinal match for nationals, new players still shined. Sherline King, a freshman, scored against Itawamba on a throw-in, breaking the 0-0 tie at the 78th minute.
King scored 25 shots out of 82 throughout the season with 67.1% of her total attempted shots being on target. Her shooting percentage was 30.5%, meaning each three out of 10 shots taken resulted in a goal. King’s statistics not only showcase her precise and efficient offensive plays, but also her effort in teamwork with 10 assists.
“Sherline is the type of player that stands out in every game. She is such a threat in the attacking end of the field and someone that other teams always have to be concerned about,” said Coach Deasley, head coach of Jones College women’s soccer team.
King is from Panama City, Panama, where she began her soccer journey at the age of five. She began playing with mostly male cousins and friends, and credits her foundational growth and skills to her time with them. At the age of 12, King was in a Youth Women’s Soccer Division I Team, where she stood out and people began to notice her, which led her to join the Panama Under-15 National Team.
“I had no idea that the national team existed, until they called me and got closer to me, and they saw in me that potential. From there I realized I was capable of that and many things,” said King.
She expressed how her time on the team allowed her to improve her skills, become more mature and recognized, leading her to the Panama Under-17 Women’s Team. She traveled to compete in countries such as Cameroon, Colombia, Dominican Republic, France and many more. It was during this time that an interviewer asked what her goal after graduating high school was.
“My dream was to have a scholarship in the United States and to be able to study and play,” said King.
That interview was posted on Instagram, which King says went viral and credits as the reason universities began to take interest in her; regardless, Jones College was her choice because of Hilary Jaen, a Panamanian and a former Jones College player. With the help of Jaen, Coach Deasley contacted King and laid out a plan for attending Jones College as a student and soccer player. King’s dreams were becoming a reality, but she was still worried.
“I thought it would be harder, because I came without knowing much of the language. I felt like it would make it too difficult,” said King. “I got to see that the people here are really warm. That allowed me to integrate into the team faster. They opened the door for me with so much care and love, and I think that made it feel less difficult. The girls include me in many things, and it makes me feel a part of them, of their family, which has passed all my expectations.”
The only challenge King has faced at Jones College is the language barrier, specifically communicating with instructors. Even then she has felt support from the college, with instructors understanding and helping her out with whatever they can, which has proven a difficult effort with great rewards; King earned President’s List last semester.
“She leads by example with her work rate and the effort she puts forth every day,” said Coach Deasley. “She is not always the most vocal kid, but she believes in simplicity. Just play the game and be the best you can be every day and leave it all on the pitch.”
As King looks to the future, her goal is to get into a Division I soccer team at a good university and grow as a person and soccer player.
All of Sherline King’s quotes were translated from Spanish to English.
by Destiny Velasco
