Mataya Smith and Taylor Hendrickson met each other on the soccer field as preschoolers and have been teammates and great friends ever since.
That was nearly 14 years ago. The girls will continue to play on the Laker varsity soccer team as seniors next year. After graduating from Prior Lake High School, they will still be teammates while competing at the collegiate level.
Their family members say that over the years, both girls had aspirations to be on the soccer field through their college years. Neither shared with the other where they would be applying to attend college, and earlier last school year, each was notified of a scholarship offer to attend and play for Concordia University in St. Paul, a Division II school in the Northern Sun Conference. Even more surprising was that each committed to play at the university, without the other’s knowledge.
“Our soccer coach knew what was happening and all of our teammates were happy for us when we told them,” Hendrickson said.
“We’ve been sharing laughs, tears and pictures that go back 14 years with each other’s family,” said Lance Smith, father of Mataya and long-time friend of Chad Hendrickson, Taylor’s dad. He adds that the connection and coincidences between the two Prior Lake families has only grown over the years.
Their moms, Heather Smith and Gina Hendrickson, became friends when they served as coaches within the Prior Lake Athletics for Youth soccer program when the girls were much younger. Today, they are co-workers at the same Prior Lake school. The dads are also good friends, and frequent trapshooting partners.
“Our parents were really excited for us and probably saw it coming,” Mataya Smith said. “They talk about it all the time.”
Following high school graduation, Hendrickson plans to pursue a degree in nursing, while Smith is also interested in studying for a career in health care.
And, yes, they are planning on being college roommates.
“I think we’ll always follow our own separate paths,” Smith said, “but we’ll also maintain our friendship that began on the soccer field.”
