Soccer is often referred to as the “Beautiful Game.”
That reference becomes easy to understand when you watch Shady Spring senior all-state soccer player Michael Vecellio roam the pitch.
“Michael combines athleticism with the grace required to be an excellent soccer player,” Shady Spring boys soccer head coach Josiah Smith said. “He is a physical force with explosive bursts, but he can do that and be graceful too. It is a beautiful combination.”
Earlier this month, the 2023 Lootpress Male Soccer Player of the Year took the next step after an outstanding high school career.
With family, coaches, teammates and friends on hand to celebrate the day, Vecellio singed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer for WVU Tech in the fall.
“I am just grateful and thankful to be here. Four more years to keep working hard,” Vecellio said.
The Golden Bears men’s soccer head coach, Oliver Hewitt-Fisher, was on hand Friday and talked about his newest recruit.
“I have known Michael now for a few years from coaching travel soccer and I know exactly what I am getting with him,” Hewitt-Fisher said. “He is a great player and a good person as well, so we’re happy is going to join us.”
Vecellio moved to West Virginia his sophomore year and while starting a new school can be difficult, soccer made that path a little smoother.
“The opportunity was better for me here. When I came here, I played pickup in the summer and I went to the fields to practice in Beckley,” Vecellio recalled. “There was a group of people playing pickup there and I played with them. One of the players graduated from Shady and he told some of the seniors on the team that this kid is pretty good, so it made it easier and more comfortable playing here.”
Vecellio has been a prolific goal scorer for the Tigers scoring 31 goals as a junior and 34 during his senior season to help lead Shady Spring to its first boys sectional title since 2011.
“He is a fierce competitor and when you are up against him, he is not passive. He is willing to battle for everything,” Smith said. “If you beat him, even defensively, he is tracking to try and win the ball back. If he gets in front of you, it is very hard to get back and defend him again.”
While prolific goal scorer can often mean selfish, that is far from the case with the Tiger standout.
“It is very rare that you see a player that scores the number of goals that he has in his career, yet he is such a team player,” Smith said. “He has so many assists and he is looking to support the team as well.”
Clearly the departure of Vecellio will create a gap for Shady Spring to fill next season. However, the future Golden Bear did his part while in high school to help his team prepare for the future.
“What Michael has done is, he has mentored the younger players,” Smith said. “The strengths that he brought to the team, he has passed on a lot of it to the young players. Michael has given us the target of the type of player we need to have.”
Making the move to WVU Tech was not a tough decision for Vecellio who plans to study mechanical engineering.
“Playing for (Hewitt-Fisher), I know his style and how he coaches,” Vecellio said. “I really like him as a coach which made the decision even easier.”
