Nansemond River High School soccer standout Taylor Flick committed on Monday to play for Patrick Henry College.

“From when I was little, I always said I was going to be a professional soccer player,” Flick said. “So when I talked to Coach Proffit and Mr. Yandle about possibly playing in college and when they told me it was a really good possibility, it just made me really excited.”

Nansemond River head soccer coach Darryl Yandle and assistant coach Ronnie Proffit were both in attendance at the signing. Yandle said Patrick Henry had made a strong move by adding the Lady Warriors’ standout defender to its roster.

“I think they’ve picked up a fine young lady,” he said. “I think she’ll be strong and step right in and do well with the team.”

Flick started all three years she played as a Lady Warrior after moving to the area. Had she been here as a freshman, Yandle said, she likely would have been a four-year starter.

Patrick Henry assistant soccer coach Lynn Murphy was excited about bringing Flick onto the team.

“It’s great, because last year, we had a very limited roster, so just being able to add depth is just a crucial, key point,” she said. “And I’ve seen her play, and she’s going to be able to help us out.”

Murphy was not sure what position Flick might play, but she expects her to contribute somewhere on the field from the beginning of the season.

“She’ll probably most likely be able to start,” she said. “We’re looking for freshmen to come in and just up the play of our team from what we had last year.”

Flick will be majoring in either elementary education or special education and has a desire to transfer to Longwood University in Farmville after two years, following in the footsteps of her mother, father and step-father who also attended Longwood.

“I’ve emailed the Longwood coach back and forth, and I just thought that right now, to get a better experience for playing college soccer, I would much rather go to Patrick Henry than a four-year college,” she said.

Flick’s mother, Judy, was also in attendance on Monday to support her daughter.

“It feels great,” she said. “I know it’s been a dream of hers to one day play in college.”