SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Senior soccer player Aly Barr sees her future and it will be at William Jessup University in Rocklin.  She has verbally committed to the school to play soccer next fall, following in the footsteps of one of her older brothers and continuing a family soccer tradition in college.

“I really love the campus,” said Barr. “The school is a lot like St. Francis, small and people want to get to know you. I really like the soccer team and coach.”

Barr first visited the campus as a sophomore and has attended classes to give her a feel for the future. The team is coached by Jamie Howard, who is in her ninth year as the head coach for the Warriors. She has turned the program into a GSAC conference power, winning five of the last seven league title and advancing to three NAIA Tournaments. Her assistant coach is her father Dan.

“The team is like a family,” said Barr. “They are really close and that is what first attracted me to the team. The coach wants to get to know you on a personal level.”

Barr, who is undecided on a major, will be the second from her family to play for William Jessup, joining brother Kyle, who is a senior this season on the men’s soccer team. Brother Nate played for Asuza Pacific and Sacramento State.

“It means a lot to me,” said Barr of her soccer family. “Growing up my whole family played soccer. It was something we all did. My older brothers played collegiate soccer. It helped because I always had support from my older brothers and my dad. They pushed me to get better.”

Of course, Barr has played most of her family soccer with twin sister, Erin. She is a teammate and classmate at St. Francis, continuing a bond that has seen the sisters play together for most of their lives.

“It is really fun because I know her style of play,” said Barr, who plays for Galaxy Blues FC. “Even in practices it is a lot of fun. Her style of play is different than mine. We really move off each other and work well together. I love playing with her.”

With Erin planning on attending a different school next year at The Master’s College, they will be separated for the first significant amount of time on the field. But they will play in the GSAC conference, setting up an annual twin billing of games.

“Growing up we played together all year,” said Barr. “We love being around each other. It will be hard at first but I think it will be good for us to be at different schools. We both have different dreams.”

With her collegiate goals in sight, Barr is looking forward to her senior season.

“I am looking forward to trying out in the spring,” said Barr, who scored two goals and had two assists last season as a junior. “I am doing a lot of fitness to get ready for soccer and the next level. I want to have fun. High School soccer is fun and it is your last year to put everything on the field. We have made to section finals. It is exciting to go to such a competitive school for sports.”

While her collegiate path is set, Barr has not always had such a clear vision. She was born with Blepharophimosis (BPES), a genetic condition that affects the development of the eyelids.

“I cannot close my eyes, it is not possible because I was born with an eye disorder,” said Barr. “It is really rare and God has used this to shape me into the person I am today.”

Barr has faced challenges.

“There is a lot of things growing up that were difficult,” said Barr. “It affected my learning process, reading comprehension, eyesight and language. Coming to St. Francis has really challenged me.”

She had three surgeries before the age of 10 that helped open up her eyes. Doctors, ironically, took tissue out of her legs to help her.

“St. Francis helped me a lot supporting me in the classroom” said Barr.

Based on the fact that her legs help her see and her eyes help her kick, it is no surprise passing is her favorite aspect of her game.

“I am a very simple and creative player passing the ball,” said Barr, who loves crosses, long balls and shots. “Some players are flashy. I want to connect my passes. I am a really smart player and think about where I need to pass the ball.”

Barr will officially sign with William Jessup on the February signing date for soccer.