PICKENS — Pickens High School senior Anna-Marie Garrett was all smiles recently as she accepted a scholarship to play soccer for Southern Wesleyan University.

Garrett said she’d played basketball when she was younger but decided to change it up.

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“I decided, ‘You know what? Senior year, let’s try something new,’” Garrett said.

Jason Evans/Courier

Anna-Marie Garrett signs with Southern Wesleyan as her parents Stephanie and Brian look on.

She plays goalkeeper for the Lady Blue Flame.

“I’ve really enjoyed it,” Garrett said of playing for Pickens. “It’s impacted my life a lot. It’s a good environment to be around. The girls are a big family. We get along really well, and we take care of each other. There’s a great coaching staff.”

The team is having a really good season so far, she said.

“We are winning,” Garrett said.

She said she liked Southern Wesleyan University’s emphasis on team-building.

“It’s a family,” Garrett said.

Pickens soccer coach Ashley Clay spoke about Garrett’s time on the team.

“This is her first year playing for us,” Clay said. “She came out and started practicing with us, (and) she was so into it. She was so excited about it.

“She’s taken a lot upon herself, just training outside of practice as well. She has improved so much already. She’s very quick. She’s very agile. She likes working with her teammates. She’s a very good team player. I’m impressed with her skills. She’s a very hard worker.”

Clay and her staff sent highlights of Garrett to Southern Wesleyan, and the college’s coaching staff spoke with Garrett as well.

“They’ve seen her play, and her skills spoke for themselves,” Clay said.

Garrett plans to major in criminal justice at Southern Wesleyan. She hopes to become an FBI agent.

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