Four athletic Florida players earning high praise

Four more players from Florida are featured, and a theme runs through the stroryline for them all as they are all incredibly athletic. Three of the players are dynamic, versatile attacking players along with a keeper who is one of the more athletic keepers you will see in the state.

Grace Dykstra Grace Dykstra null | M Marjory Stoneman Douglas | 2025 State FL , Attacking Midfielder/Striker, Stoneman Douglas, Class of 2025

The Stoneman Douglas junior class is stacked, and Dykstra is a big reason for that. She is an attack-minded player who also plays club for FC Prime’s 2007 ECNL team. She can play as a No. 10 or a No. 9, and can do so because she has great technical skills and is highly intelligent. She is a strong-bodied attacking player, who is powerful, persistent and feisty. She plays with a determination and a resilience you want to see out of your attacking players. She is a player that can use both feet, loves to win 50/50 balls and can really score goals, especially the kind that wow the spectators. She is an exciting player always buzzing around the ball and putting constant pressure on the defense.

Julia Ivanova Julia Ivanova GK IMG Academy | 2027 FL , Keeper, IMG Academy, Class of 2027

Ivanova is a young player who is very much worth knowing. A freshman keeper at IMG Academy, a well-known program, she also plays her club with the IMG Academy’s U15 Elite GA squad. Ivanova is what you want from a keeper. She is tall, which helps, but she also is extremely brave and has been described as a beast because she will make a challenge without fear. She has a cannon for a leg as she can really switch the attack quickly from her box. She has technical ability, allowing her to do move the ball forward with accuracy, and she makes good decisions and anticipates well. Ivanova is strong and fast, showing great athletic ability. She’s also a leader who is respected by her peers and is certainly a leader. Last, but certainly not least, she is a committed, hard-working player who has confidence and has mental toughness.

Karina Martinez, Striker, St. Thomas Aquinas, Class of 2027

A freshman striker at a very good St. Thomas Aquinas program, Martinez plays her club with FL West FC, playing for the U16 ECNL team. She is a very technical player, who displays great touch, can excellently hold the ball up and transition play and, because she is a prodigious goal scorer, she is a nightmare for defenders. Martinez shows tenacious qualities in addition to being a very hard-working and disciplined player, and she is also a leader on the pitch.

McKenna Wickman, Forward, NSU University, Class of 2026

Wickman attends Nova Southeastern, or simply known as University in Davie, FL, and is a forward. She plays club at FC Prime for the 2008 ECNL team. Wickman is a very skilled forward. She is very fast and shifty, using speed and cleverness to get past defenders. She is a physical player, a strong player who is also smart and mentally tough. A dedicated player, Wickman is very dynamic.