McClain Cameron and The Webb School of Knoxville Spartans faced the CAK Warriors in a non-region match on Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Webb won 1-0. (Photo by Danny Parker)
By DAVE LINK
McClain Cameron didn’t expect to be nominated for the United Soccer Coaches All-American Scholar Team.
Let alone get chosen to the team.
Yet the 2022 graduate of Webb School of Knoxville is a member of this year’s USC All-American Scholar team, a reward for years of hard work at soccer and academics.
“I’m so honored to receive the award, but I was honestly so surprised too,” Cameron said Monday. “When Sonny (Trotter, Webb coach) told me he was putting me up for the award, I was so excited and I was just honored to even be put up for it because that’s a big award. I was just really proud to receive that, not for myself, but for Sonny and for Webb. I’m really excited about the award.”
It’s a prestigious award.
Nominees for the USC All-American Scholar Team must have GPAs higher than 4.0 – Cameron carried a 4.59 GPA – and usually must be two-time all-state selections and a district MVP.
Cameron is the only Lady Spartan to get the award. She had 56 goals and 38 assists in her prep career.
“I’m very, very happy for her,” Trotter said. “She’s very deserving. She’s been a leader for us, obviously. She works extremely hard and she wants to put in the extra work, too. She’s special in every way and makes everybody around her better. She’s kind, considerate, and she’s conscientious. She’s one of the best players I’ve ever coached in every way.”
TURNING THE PAGE
Cameron, an attacking midfielder and All-5Star Preps second-team player in 2021, is getting ready to start a new stage of her life, one without competitive soccer.
She leaves early August for the University of Alabama, where she got a Presidential Scholarship, which amounts to a full academic scholarship, including room and board. 
Cameron said the Presidential Scholarship is awarded to National Merit Finalists — which she was this school year — by the University of Alabama.
“Oh, it’s amazing,” she said of the scholarship. “I’m really excited and happy about that, and it’s just making going to Alabama an even easier decision.”
After years of playing high-level soccer, Cameron decided about a year ago she didn’t want to pursue a college soccer career, even though she had opportunities.
“I kind of decided at the beginning of my senior year when the high school season started and I started playing again,” she said. “I love soccer, but at the same time, I’ve been playing it for 13 years, so there was a point where I kind of just wanted to go try something new.
“I can always do intramurals or club soccer in college. I don’t have to shut it off forever, but I don’t want to have to put in the complete dedication when I’ve given it all this time. I want to go and start this new chapter of my life and see what that has to bring.”
Cameron, who finished her club soccer in April, knew what she wanted in the collegiate experience.
She wanted to go to an SEC school and took tours at Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, and Tennessee.
“I definitely was going to go to a big SEC school,” she said. “I just knew that’s what I wanted to do, just to go and enjoy the college experience and all that and see football on Saturdays and get the most academic opportunities.
“I just fell in love with Alabama. I stepped on the campus and I just loved it, and my mom (Julie) went to Alabama. I had a great tour, and I just knew I was going to go there.”
LOOKING BACK, AHEAD
Cameron was a four-year starter at Webb, earning all-state honors the past two seasons.
During her career, she experienced winning and losing, the COVID-19 season of 2020, and Webb’s jump from Division II-A into Division II-AA last season.
A memorable four years at Webb.
“It was one of the best experiences,” she said, “and I’m so lucky to have been coached by great coaches like coach Sonny and coach (Jared) Ziegler. It was just such a fun community to be a part of.
“We played some hard games, we played some fun games, and it was just a great experience, with a different team (each year). It’s kind of different than club when you kind of have the same team every year. High school was a new group of girls every year. It’s just a fun and different experience every year, and I absolutely loved it.”
Not playing soccer this fall will be different.
But who knows? She might find her way to the pitch.
“I’m bringing a pair of cleats down to college, I know that for sure,” Cameron said. “I might start second semester, just kind of let myself get used to college and get used to living in a new town, and then start joining in with soccer and all that.”