Stephanie Sparkowski signs her National Letter of Intent

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Stephanie Sparkowski, an East Meadow High School senior, signed her National Letter of Intent on Nov. 13 and will be playing soccer for the University of Michigan starting in the fall of 2020.

On Dec. 7, she will be joining 39 of the nation’s best soccer players and four of the nation’s top coaches as part of the East Team for the 7th Annual Girl's High School All-American Game in Orlando, Fla.

Sponsored by Bimbo, Adidas and Continental Tire, the game brings in seniors who have finished their high school careers and represent their high school teams during the fall season. They have achieved many regional and national awards and will attend some of the top universities across the country. Athletes will arrive on Dec. 5 and participate in team trainings and team activities.

Leading the East Team will be Jamie McGroarty, coach of the Eastern Regional High School girl’s soccer team, and William Mpasiakos, coach of the Monroe Woodbury High School girl’s soccer team. They will face off against the West Team, led by Dino McIntyre, coach of the Walsh Jesuit High School girl’s soccer team, and Steve Popp, coach of the Beavercreek High School girl’s soccer team.

Sparkowski also took part in the inaugural Allstate All-American Cup on July 21 in Orlando, Fla. Allstate collaborated with MaxPreps, a sports news outlet run by CBS, and evaluated roughly 800,000 high school soccer players around the country before choosing 40 boys and 40 girls to compete in the all-star tournament.

Sparkowski has received All-Conference, All-Class, All-County, All-Long Island and All-State honors in soccer, and was named the Northeast Conference Goalkeeper of the Year last season. She has also played for the U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program, a national nonprofit that trains young soccer players.

Sparkowski also widened her athletic career this fall when she made history in East Meadow as the first female athlete to join the Jets’ football team.

The team’s new addition began practicing to be a placekicker over the summer, and played in her first game on Sept. 14, when she went 4 for 4 on extra-point tries in the Jets’ 28-6 win over Manhasset High school.