The Wetumpka Herald Online

Wetumpka’s Clayton works to improve game

Matthew Clayton. -- Special to The Herald

Special to The Herald

Wetumpka’s Matthew Clayton is a soccer nut.

Clayton first began playing soccer in 1997 at Wichita, Kan., and has been in love with the sport ever since. He also played baseball and soccer for several years in Kansas and Mississippi.

When Clayton and his family moved to Washington State, he continued to try other sports, including football, basketball and track while attending intermediate and junior high school. Because of the demands of the other sports, he was only able to play the "beautiful game" known as soccer for only one year at Washington.

When Clayton and his family moved to Wetumpka in 2003, he joined the Wetumpka Junior High School basketball team and played in the WHS marching band. He didn't hear about the Wetumpka High School soccer team until his freshmen year.

Although he hadn't played for three years, he decided to tryout for the varsity soccer team. He made the team and received a lot of playing time, but he knew he would have to do extra work on his own time if he wanted to become a starter.

The following summer Clayton dedicated himself to becoming a better player. He spent at least 30 minutes a day practicing, either juggling or passing the ball between his brothers, Mark and Michael. He also went to a soccer camp in Mobile with teammates Andrew Pouncy and Kyle Roberts.

At the beginning of Clayton’s sophomore year, he decided to try out for Alabama's Olympic Development Program for soccer. He made the state's pool team and practiced with the team in such places as Birmingham, Decatur and Memphis, Tenn.

When Wetumpka's soccer season began in 2005, Clayton was a starter and co-captain of the team. He also scored eight goals in his sophomore season.

Over the summer break, Clayton decided to try out for Montgomery's premier soccer league, the Capital City Streaks. He was able to make the team and now plays locally in Montgomery and Birmingham, and he will be traveling with the team to New Orleans, La.; Tupelo, Miss.; and Orlando, Fla., this fall. He enjoys playing with the Streaks as a mid-fielder and in his favorite position, striker.

In addition to playing with some of the best high school soccer players in the area, he and the team have had the opportunity to scrimmage AUM and Faulkner University.

Clayton believes the all additional training is helping him to become a better player. He is looking forward to applying his skill in this year's high school season when he hopes he can help the WHS team make the playoffs in the spring.

After high school, Clayton hopes to play college soccer and has a personal goal of playing professionally in the English Premier League in England and for the U.S. Men's National Team.