Former Springstead Star Rises Ranks in College

Last month, former Springstead athlete Ava Kanaar was named a starter on her new squad at Campbell University and the college featured her in posts on their social media. Having graduated from high school earlier this year, she is breaking into the starting lineup for the Camels’ Women’s Soccer team as a true freshman. Quite the achievement for anyone to accomplish, but Eagles Athletic Director Matthew McGarry was not surprised by her rapid development.

“I’m not surprised at all,” McGarry noted in a message last week. “She’s an extremely hard worker and probably the best female athlete I’ve ever been around. It was only a matter of time before she would earn something as great as a starting role. To do it as a freshman goes to show how good she is and how great she can become.”

As impressive as Kanaar’s meteoric rise is with the Camels, it is not out of the ordinary for the former Eagles’ phenom. She not only competed in a trio of sports during her time at the school, but she excelled at them as well. Her high school career saw her compete all four years in soccer and track and field and she added flag football to her resume in her final year.

She placed first in various track meets throughout her four years at Springstead including the FHSAA 3A District 6 Meet (100m, 4×100, 4×400 – 2021), the Gulf Coast 8 Conference Championship (100m – 2022), the Springstead Invitational (4×100 – 2023), the Weeki Wachee Invitational 2024 (4×100), and she helped the Eagles win the Gulf Coast 8 Conference in 2024 with a first place finish in the 4×100. She took home the bronze, silver, and gold medals at several other competitions as well and racked up quite the trophy case in the process.

Soccer was arguably where she made a name for herself, though, and for good reason. She shot out of the gate with 41 goals as a freshman and never looked back. She scored another 32 in her sophomore season and cracked 40 yet again in her penultimate year. In her final campaign she nearly doubled her previous season totals with 70, breaking the previous all-time Springstead record for goals in a single season. Her speed and proclivity for scoring points also aided her team in going 18-4-1 and winning the 6A District 4 Championship in her final year with the Eagles.

The well-rounded athlete also joined her high school’s flag football squad during an already busy senior year. Kanaar totaled 102 receiving yards, 37 rushing yards, and four touchdowns (3 receiving, 1 rushing) as the Eagles were the 2A D14 Runner-Ups. The team would finish with an 11-6 record and compete in the state tournament.

Whenever Kanaar set foot on the field or track, she was always one of the most explosive playmakers on any squad. The true freshman will look to have the same kind of impact on her current team as she did on her previous ones moving forward. The Camels’ Women’s Soccer Team’s record currently sits at 1-3-3, with much time yet to take strides forward with Kanaar in the rotation.