For most of the year, she would go to the barn at 5:30 a.m. and feed, water and clean up her lambs’ pen. Then she would head to school, then to soccer practice and then straight home. She completed most of her homework in school, knowing that soccer practice would keep her busy into the night. This was senior Sabrina Blount’s daily routine as a member of FFA, an attacking mid for varsity soccer and center back for club soccer.  She will continue both soccer and agriculture next year as she heads to Purdue University for college.

Through Blount’s soccer club, LoneStar Soccer, she went to showcases where 50-100 college coaches came to her games, and the recruiting coordinators for colleges were impressed by her performance and reached out to her. According to Blount, the recruiting officers from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana called her a couple of times and let her visit the campus and offered her a scholarship to play soccer. She verbally committed her junior year. This means that one is committed to that school, but not legally obligated, because one can’t sign paperwork until senior year. 

“After going on my unofficial visit to Purdue, I kind of knew it was the place for me,” Blount said. “The coaching staff was so nice and friendly and I loved all the players, and it provided a great school for me and for my major which is animal sciences.”

Ever since she was four, Blount has always been running around the field and wanting to play soccer with her brother, which is where her passion for soccer came from. She was always wanting to help him out, either practicing his techniques in the backyard or cheering him on at his games. 

“Because of our club restrictions, I couldn’t play high school soccer from freshman year until sophomore year, so I started playing for school my junior year,” Blount said. “I knew I wanted to play high school soccer because it provides more of a fun atmosphere compared to the club’s really tough and aggressive atmosphere. I have been able to make great connections with all the people on my high school team, and it feels so much like a family that I wanted to experience that.”

Club soccer is more competitive and serious, whereas high school soccer is more fun rather than just competitive, according to Blount. 

“I just love how soccer is a team sport, and I love being able to be a part of something where everyone’s in it together,” Blount said. “It’s not just individual efforts. Everyone has to come together and make it happen.”

The varsity soccer team was Regional Finalists last year and Blount was awarded district Defensive MVP. The year, the team was district champions and made it to the third round of playoffs where they lost to Dripping Springs. Blount was awarded this year’s 25-5A district MVP, team MVP and named top scorer on the team. All of the coaches in the district come together at the end of the season and nominate people for the awards. Blount’s coach nominated her to be district MVP, and the other coaches voted on her too.

“It was a huge honor to be nominated and I was really excited,” Blount said. 

As for her other passion, agriculture, Blount was introduced to it by her Floral Design teacher, Shannon Butler. The more she participated, the more involved and passionate she became about it.

“I decided to pursue a future in agriculture because, with every bit I got involved in FFA, I gained a deeper passion for agriculture,” Blount said. “FFA does take up a lot of my time, but it is so rewarding. I was able to get paid for selling my lamb for market production and was able to travel and compete in state competitions for public speaking events and career development events. There is so much fun to have in FFA and the people in it make it so enjoyable.”

Blount has had many accomplishments over the years in regards to FFA, ranging from showing her sheep to public speaking. This year at the Williamson County show, she placed first in her weight class with her Southdown sheep.

“I was really surprised to win my class at county because it was my first year showing, so I was so excited,” Blount said.

On Apri 2, Blount won first place in the public speaking contest in area, in which she had to make a speech about FFA and agriculture. She also placed ninth overall in Area XII in Milk Quality, out of 200 kids and the team got third. There were 30 teams in area and the top three from each area went to state on April 28. Blount has advanced to state for the past two years, and she went this year as well, in which her team placed 34th out of 60 teams.

“My favorite thing about the agriculture competitions is definitely hanging out with my teams and my teachers,” Blount said. “Most of the time,4 we have to travel for the competitions and the car rides to and from are always so fun.”

According to Blount, soccer will always be her one true passion, whereas Agriculture is more of a professional passion. Blount said that in order to be a successful soccer player, one must always be on time for practice, work out, be dedicated and most of all, take responsibility. She will use these skills as she moves on to college studying Animal Sciences.

“Give it your all and make sure you put in the work outside of your team atmosphere because that’s when you get individually better,” Blount said.