Plum sophomore soccer player Pat McAfee has some very big dreams, including playing in the World Cup. He also has plenty of people helping him keep his feet on the ground, primarily his family and teammates. He acknowledged the importance of that after taking a positive step in his career when he was named to the Region I Olympic Development Program pool for players born in 1987. "Oh yeah, it's really boosting your confidence," McAfee said. "Every kid in my age group from our region tries out, and they only take 36 kids. It's a big step. What I'm really going for is project 2010, which is developing players for the 2010 World Cup. That's the high goal. "Then you have people to keep you on the ground like my parents and my high school teammates. My teammates remind me who is older." McAfee was one of 10 players from PA West to make regional pools, which are broken up by date of birth. Three were from the East. In addition to McAfee, the other two were Stefan Lundberg of Lower Burrell in the boys 1989 pool. Jonna Handra of Port Vue is in the 1989 girls pool. "Usually, not a lot of PA West kids make it," McAfee said. "The kids from New York and New Jersey fill it up. PA West showed up big this year." McAfee went to an ID camp in New Jersey three weeks ago. Players from that were invited a week later to Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts. "That was to make the regional pools," McAfee said. "If I did good in that, I got called back in December at Penn State, which I did." McAfee said playing in four games at Deerfield also helped his game. "The intensity level is really high," McAfee said. "All the kids are good. They play a fast pace. It teaches me to play a lot better. I was hoping to play in one game and I got to play in all four." The players in the pool are eligible for 18-man regional squads that compete in tournaments, including one in Costa Rica and another in Europe. McAfee plays for both PA West and for Beadling soccer teams, as well as the Plum varsity squad. He said his PA West coach, John Kowalski, who is the Robert Morris women's coach, has been a help. "He kept coaching me," McAfee said. "In the winter, we will start working again." McAfee started part of last year as a freshman midfielder for Plum, but will move to forward this season. He is a forward in Olympic Development and with Beadling. Plum lost in the WPIAL Class AAA quarterfinals a year ago. "I'm expecting the whole team to do a lot better this year," McAfee said. "We have a solid starting lineup. I'm expecting a lot." McAfee started playing soccer when he was three, but he didn't settle into playing a more offensive role until last year. He was a goalie before that. "My shot is my best thing," McAfee said. "I can whack the ball pretty good. I want to get a lot better at defense."

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