Brenau Scholar Chayla Park from Peachtree City, Georgia, played four years of varsity soccer at 2014-15 Class AAAAA state championship Starr’s Mill High School team. Although there probably was no question as to what the 18-year-old Park would choose as an extracurricular activity, she knew Brenau had launched a physical therapy program, and that profession is where she wants to direct her academic pursuits.

Her brother, Channing, also a star athlete in high school, severely injured his back and hip about two years ago. “He’s been on and off the field ever since then,” she says. “He needed surgery this summer to fix his problem, and he’ll be out the entire first year of his [Emmanuel College] career.” She knows there will be a lot of physical therapy in her brother’s future, and she wants to make a career of helping others like him get back in shape to live their lives.

In addition to applying herself academically to learning the minutiae of the human form and the best methods for body conditioning, the 5-foot 5-inch defender is muscling past her intimidation of going one-on-one with women who are often three or four years older and much more experienced than she is. “It’s an ever-changing game, and nothing stays the same while you’re playing it,” she says. “I’m learning new techniques and tricks and trying them out every day.”