Lyons senior midfielder Eleanor Musgrove soon will answer a higher call.
Musgrove, who helped the Lions reach the Class 3A state championship game last season, has committed to Air Force.
“I’m super excited to serve my country as well as represent my school by playing sports,” Musgrove said. “It was the best of both worlds for me.”
Musgrove is continuing a family tradition by serving in the military. Her father, Charles, was a U.S. Army captain from 1998 to 2002, and her grandfather, Bill Boak, also served.
“So it was something that I was always looking at,” Musgrove said. “I started looking at all the academies in the beginning of my recruiting process.
“I had the opportunity to go out to the Air Force Academy. After I researched it a little bit more, I knew it was the kind of place where I wanted to be. I wanted a college that would challenge me athletically and academically, and I just fit right in.”
Musgrove has spent her high school years challenging herself in the classroom and on the field. Taking mostly Advanced Placement courses, she has a weighted 5.1 GPA on a 4.0 scale, with her favorite subjects being history and global relations.
“She’s a great soccer player and great student,” Lyons coach Bill Lanspeary said. “I think Air Force is a great fit.”
Musgrove is one of the top center midfielders in the state. She earned all-sectional honors as a junior, when she had 13 goals and eight assists for the Lions (20-1), who lost 1-0 to O’Fallon in the state final.
“She’s a workhorse for us and brings an attacking mindset to the midfield position,” Lanspeary said. “She’s really good about creating opportunities for herself, but also for her teammates.
“She was a great player for us last year, and this year I’m already seeing the leadership ability that she has and what she brings to the table for us.”
Musgrove scored twice in a season-opening 3-2 win against Whitney Young and is excited about what the Lions can do this season despite having six new starters.
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“We have a super strong team,” she said. “The returning players, including myself, are really trying to set the example for the newcomers on the team.
“We’re just trying to create a super positive environment where we can all grow together. This is a new team, new memories, so we’re just building up practice by practice, enjoying the process.”
Lanspeary has been pleased with Musgrove’s leadership.
“Her work ethic is fantastic, as is her focus and her demeanor and inclusivity with the younger kids and making them feel as much a part of the team as anybody,” Lanspeary said.
“I will give our players in recent history a lot of credit. The seniors have done a great job of setting a positive example, and it’s then been paid forward a little bit. She’s picking up right where last year’s seniors left off and doing a great job.”
Lanspeary expects that will continue at the next level.
“With her skill level, her soccer IQ and willingness to work, I think she can step in and play and really help a team,” Lanspeary said. “Her natural position is probably an attacking midfielder, but depending on what they need, I think she can contribute anywhere on the field. That will serve her well at the D-I level.”
Upon graduating from Air Force, Musgrove will have to serve at least five years of active duty, more if she becomes a pilot. It’s a big commitment, but she is excited to follow in the footsteps of her father and grandfather.
“I’m kind of fulfilling their dreams, and they’re both super supportive,” Musgrove said. “They’ve really been helping me throughout this process and preparing me for basic training that I have coming up this summer. I have my family’s support, and it means the world to me.”
Matt Le Cren is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.