Life in a military family isn’t easy. Constant moving. Long periods of time away from one or both parents. The ongoing and unspeakable stress of having a parent in a war zone during deployment. Being a teenager can be difficult under the best of circumstances. When you’re dealing with the aforementioned stressors as well, it can be downright crushing. Chelan Worms, a Lowndes High senior soccer player, ought to know. Just 18 years old, she has lived all over the world and averaged a move about every two years. Through it all, she has managed to forge a successful soccer career and stable of friends she depends on daily. Here is her story in 10 Questions.
1. Where have you lived? I was born in Okinawa, Japan. When I was two years old, I moved to Valdosta. Then I moved to Alabama, Hawaii, Valdosta, New Mexico, and back to Valdosta. I’ve moved seven times in all.
2. When did you start playing soccer? I started when I was four years old. I have four brothers, and they all played. I really looked up to them, and I wanted to do what they did. One of my brothers, Zak Worms, played soccer at Southern Poly. I started playing soccer because that’s what they played.
3. Did you find it difficult to keep playing each time you moved? I don’t think so. Playing for a lot of different coaches made me into the player I am today. I’m not really good at any one position. I do a lot of things well, and I think I’ve got good field vision. All that came from playing in a lot of different places under a lot of different coaches.
4. Of all the places you’ve lived, where have you had the best competition? I believe here and in New Mexico. I remember those two places the best. New Mexico really developed my foot skills. Being here developed my passing skills more. We play more of a passing 
game here, and there aren’t a lot of dribbling and one-on-one match-ups like in New Mexico. I like it here better.
5. How does South Georgia soccer compare to soccer elsewhere? It’s more of a team game here, more of a passing game. At other places, the game is based more on speed. Here, you analyze, pass, and you have to see where the game is going a few plays ahead. You’ve got to have good foot-eye coordination, be mentally and physically strong, and you’ve got to be very fit. You also need to be well rounded in the fundamentals of the game and have a high pain tolerance.
6. What do you enjoy most about playing in South Georgia? Because I’ve moved here so many times, I’ve played with the same people on the same teams. I like playing with my friends here. It feels like home.
7. What challenges have you faced playing soccer? I’m short. I play center midfield, and on balls kicked to the middle of the field, I can’t get to them. I’m too short to out-jump other players and get to those balls. My height really hurts me sometimes. I’m also a perfectionist, and I don’t take as many shots as I should because I’m always looking to find the perfect pass.
8. What are your goals for this season? Win region. We came in third last year. We have a new head coach this year, and he’s done really well at getting players to move and pick up the pace of the game. I hope we can go farther in the playoffs than we have in the past. We can still win region, but we need to beat Tift the next time we play them.
9. What does the future hold for you? I’ve signed with Valdosta State University to play soccer. After college, I’d like to move to Seattle and try out for a club team up there. My family is from Washington, and Seattle is my favorite place in the world.
10. What else do you enjoy besides playing soccer? I like to paint. I’m pretty good at it. I’m also good at photography. I’ve always doodled in my notebooks, but in the ninth grade, I took an art class and learned the basics. I saw I was pretty good at it, and I kept on. I’d like to be an artist, but it doesn’t pay very well, which is kind of aggravating.
10 Questions/South Georgia/May 2015
Chelan Worms
Lowndes High School
Valdosta, Georgia
Robert Preston Jr.
