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HUNTINGTON BEACH — Riley Crooks operates at a different speed on the soccer pitch. The Edison senior bursts past opposing players, and her acceleration doesn’t stop there.
Crooks departs on Friday to enroll early at Texas A & M, where she has signed to play for the Aggies’ women’s soccer team.
It’s a bold move on the Orange County high school girls soccer scene, especially considering that Crooks grew up on the Chargers’ field playing for her mother and coach Kerry Crooks.
The All-County defender will transition to her college track full of excitement about her decision.
“It’s definitely helpful for fall sports because college soccer is played in the fall,” said Crooks, a club player with the Slammers. “Instead of three weeks to practice with the (college) team, I’ll get a full six months. … (to be) prepared, having the mindset ‘OK, I know how this is going to go. I know how the team plays.’ “
“I’m really excited to do it,” she added. “I’m going to study kinesiology so hopefully (I) become an athletic trainer. But if I have the opportunity, I’d love to play professional.”
Orange County’s elite high school football recruits, including several who signed in December, have been enrolling early in colleges for years.
Crooks and her mother said that women’s college soccer teams in Texas and the Southeastern Conference also have also been implementing the strategy.
“It seems to be that the SEC has really started recruiting in Southern California,” said Kerry Crooks, Edison’s coach since 1991 and a former player for UC Irvine. “You’ll start seeing more (early enrollments) coming up.”
Crooks is one of Orange County’s top female athletes. In the fall, she had 46 interceptions to help Edison’s girls flag football team reach the CIF-SS Division 2 semifinals. She earned All-County honors in flag football and has run track.
Crooks and her family learned more about the option of enrolling early at Texas A & M from veteran Aggies coach G Guerrieri on her official recruiting trip in October of her junior year.
The extra academics preparation then began.
The Crooks family connected with the Huntington Beach Union High School District and an academic counselor. Crooks took classes over the summer at Golden West College.
“You got to have a plan,” said Riley Crooks, who holds a grade-point average about 3.6.
Crooks’ last game with Edison is scheduled for Jan. 9 against visiting Corona del Mar. That’s also Senior Night, and a source of some mixed feelings.
As the youngest of three children, Crooks grew up dreaming of playing for Edison and her mom. She wore an Chargers’ toddler jersey and “tried to warmup” with the high school players as a young girl.
“It will be emotional (on Thursday),” said Crooks, who departs Friday for College Station. “It was my dream (to play for Edison) growing up and getting to play for 3 1/2 years, it’s the best thing ever.”
Coach Crooks said she and her husband Matt — also the team’s announcer — will be a “little bit of a wreck” on Senior Night but filled with gratitude.
“We have been blessed,” the coach said. “I’ve coached (Riley) from AYSO, and then got to be a parent with her when she was playing club. … She’s been on the (high school) field forever. It’s part of her, too.”
“I’m sad she won’t finish off her senior year but it’s an awesome opportunity,” she added. “She’s got some big dreams and she wants to go after those.”
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