Ballwin Soccer Talent Goes NCAA

Maddy Bush of Ballwin will take her soccer skills to St. Louis University next year following an official signing on Friday.

The senior at Marquette High School started on the varsity team all four years of play for the Mustangs, and was selected to be a Suburban West All-Conference player both her junior and senior years.

In addition to representing Marquette, Bush also contributed to successful campaigns of the St. Louis Scott Gallagher soccer club.

Gallagher Coach Kirk Moser, who spent five seasons coaching Bush, first saw her play following a strong endorsement from a colleague near Kansas City; prior to moving to Ballwin and enrolling at Marquette, Bush lived outside Kansas City playing with the Blue Valley Soccer Club under program director Jon Parry, a long time colleague of Moser’s.

“He said, ‘Hey, you need to take a look at this player. She’s a great kid, a great player, has a great family, and you’ve got to see her play,” Moser said.

After only a few brief moments, Moser said he knew Bush would become a valuable asset to their squad.

“Maybe five minutes to our scrimmage, I walked over to Coach [John] Schneider and just noticed almost instantly how much energy and the pace that this kid had … and [jokingly] said ‘Yeah, I think we can find a place on a team for this kid.’”

After several successful seasons and winning performances in tournament play, Moser said fate couldn’t have worked out much better.

“She’s a captain of our team, and just turned out to be not only a great soccer player, but a great person.”

Bush said she had informal plans to attend St. Louis University dating back to the start of her junior year, although schools such as University of Iowa still were contenders.

It wasn’t long, however, before she knew that St. Louis was where she wanted to stay.

“As soon as I stepped on the campus, I knew it was where I wanted to be because I felt at home.”

The school’s appeal also grew, Bush said, because of its involvement with SPENSA, the Special Needs Soccer Association, a non-profit for young people with disabilities that Bush’s sister is involved in. The attraction to SLU compounded further when she learned more of its education and physical therapy programs.

While she balances collegiate academics with athletics next year, Bush said one of the most challenging jumps to the next level of play will be the size of her opponents.

“I’m strong now, but when I get there, I’ll be one of the weakest players, I feel,” Bush said. “So playing up against the players who are more physical … that’s something I’m looking forward to.”

While eager to test her abilities on the NCAA stage, Bush said there will be plenty to miss at home.

“From my club team, I’m really going to miss my teammates and the coaches, because they’re like a second family,” Bush said of St. Louis Scott Gallagher. “As soon as a joined the team [after the move to Ballwin], I was welcomed as a friend. So I’m going to miss the bonding we had.”

At Marquette, too, it'll be hard not to miss certain people who she got to know so well through a competitive environment.

“You don’t really know the real personality of someone until you play with them on the field," Bush said.

Moser said he has no doubt that Bush will become a valuable addition to the St. Louis University Women's Soccer program.

“She works extremely hard to become a better technical soccer player, and because of those intangibles that she has, she just creates and makes change."

Bush also has the unique ability to fill virtually any position, Moser said.

"And as coach, how can you not a love player who can play anywhere here on the field.”

Bush is one of six players from St. Louis Scott Gallagher bound for SLU, which Moser said with strong conviction will soon have a nationally competitive program.

“These girls are coming in with the idea that ‘We want to win,’” Moser said. “So I think the future is bright there.”