Sport plays big role in future plans

Cardinal Mooney's Kiki Willis and Hubbard's Jami Duvall both envision a career around soccer.
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
A promising Mahoning Valley underclassman athlete is tempted by a lucrative professional contract, but chooses to continue his academic life and his amateur career.
Sounds like Maurice Clarett, freshman tailback on the undefeated Ohio State football team contemplating the NFL, doesn't it?
Actually it's Ken "Kiki" Willis, a sophomore forward on the state championship Cardinal Mooney boys soccer team and The Vindicator boys player of the year.
Loves soccer and kids
The girls player of the year, Hubbard High senior Jami Duvall, loves soccer.
She also loves kids.
If she gets her way, she will combine the two passions and make them a part of her life.
"I looked into my future and figured that if I get married and have kids, I want to be with them on vacation and during the summer," Duvall said.
"I also love the sport," she added. "I want to become a soccer coach, and the only way to do that and get paid a good amount is to become a teacher."
So when Duvall makes her college choice, that plan will be the foundation of her future.
Hubbard's scoring threat also will take her soccer career into account. A number of Division III schools have been pursuing the forward.
"I want a good education program and a school that's not too big," Duvall said.
"I want something that's right in the middle [in size]."
Offered pro contract
Last year, while playing in an amateur tournament in Europe, Willis was contacted by the Roda FC team of the Netherlands and offered a professional contract.
"I could have went and stayed with a host parent and went to a Dutch school," said Willis, 16, of the professional offer.
Rather, he returned home and finished an outstanding sophomore season with an overtime win over Columbus DeSales in the Div. II state title match, a Youngstown-area first.
"I think that if I have enough talent and I believe in myself, that I can some day get another chance to do what I want to do," said Willis.
"There's more opportunities. I'm at a young age where I can wait for more opportunities to come."
He was a second-team Div. III all-Ohio selection as a freshman when he led Mooney to its first ever trip to the regional tournament.
Unanimous all-stater
This season the 5-foot-91/2, 163-pound forward made first-team all-state.
"When they voted for all state, he was an unanimous all-stater, first-teamer," said Mooney coach Lenny Krispinsky.
"He could be the best player in the state."
He scored 38 goals this year, giving him 66 in his career.
While he didn't score in the state semi-final or in the title match -- both 2-1 Mooney wins -- he had three assists.
In addition to the soccer accomplishments and classroom work where he carries a 3.0 average, Willis is playing basketball and should run track in the spring.
He frequently seeks the counsel of his father.
"My dad is my biggest supporter because he pushes me in every which way to strive to be the best," said Kiki.
After graduation, Willis will face a difficult decision.
"Most likely I want to go to Europe and play right after high school," he said. "I want to wait until school is over before considering any professional contract."
Still, many college teams may try recruiting him.
"He has his head on straight, he has good grades." said Krispinsky. "He wants to attend Stanford. With his grades and his ability, he'll be able to write his own ticket to wherever he wants to go."
Accomplished both goals
Entering the season, Duvall set two goals -- become the school's single-season scoring leader and earn Division II district player of the year honors.
She accomplished both.
Duvall, a first team All-Ohio selection, scored 36 goals this season to surpass the 32 previously held by Tammy Newell, who now plays at Westminster College.
"On most of them [the goals], our team was just giving me the ball when I needed it," said Duvall, who also recorded 13 assists. "They knew when I was open."
With Duvall directing the attack, Hubbard won the Trumbull Athletic Conference crown and its third straight district title.
But the Eagles (16-4) were eliminated by Bay Village Bay, the eventual Div. II state champion.
"At first when we lost, it was disappointing because I knew we could have done much better than we did," said Duvall, who also plays basketball. "I thought if we would play our best game, we could beat that team.
"I guess it's good to know you got beat by the state champion."
Taught by father
Duvall began learning the game at age 6 from her father, Dan, who taught her how to move with the ball at her feet.
"It was a different game once I got to high school. The coaches have a different perspective of the field," Duvall said. "My freshman year, I didn't make varsity because I didn't learn [coach Dennis Smith's] game quick enough."
But it didn't take her long.
The following year, Duvall began a varsity career in which she scored 74 goals.