Reegan Meyer, a defensive backrow specialist, and Walter Markle, a center midfielder, each signed National Letters of Intent. While Meyer plans to attend Jamestown University, Markle will play for the South Dakota School of Mines.

The Minot Daily News reached out to both Meyer and Markle to get their thoughts on the recruiting process, as well as their long-term goals within the game of soccer. Here is what each student-athlete had to say via email.

MDN: What went into your decision to choose your college, and was it an easy choice to make?

Markle: The first thing that went into my decision to go to the School of Mines was that they were offering my major. I’ve known for some time that I wanted to pursue a degree in civil engineering so I wanted to go to a school that was going to be affordable, had my degree I wanted, and was within reasonable driving distance from home. It was a fairly easy decision due to the short list of schools that met what I wanted.

Submitted Photo After helping the Minot Magicians to a 10-4-2 overall mark which resulted in a state tournament appearance in 2020, Walter Markle (top) and Reegan Meyer will continue their soccer careers at different universities.

Meyer: When choosing Jamestown, many things went through my mind. Thoughts like ‘would I like it there,’ or if I could make an immediate impact to better the team.

My family had many people telling us about how much they loved going to Jamestown and how nice the facilities were. Even with all the great words we were told, seeing the facilities with our own eyes surprised us. One of the first things I thought after I signed my letter of intent was that now I won’t be too far away from my grandma’s spectacular cooking.

MDN: Do you have any family members who have also played soccer either in high school or college?

Markle: I actually had the opportunity to play soccer with my older brother, Wyatt, on the high school team his junior and senior year. He was a big mentor to me those two seasons and still continues to be. He is heading into his senior year playing for the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago.

Meyer: I do not have any family members that played in high school or collegiate soccer.

MDN: Who is your favorite professional soccer player and do you try to model your game after that person?

Markle: Honestly I do not have a real favorite soccer player as I don’t watch a lot of professional soccer. The people that I loved to watch the most growing up would have to be my older brother’s soccer team.

Meyer: My favorite all time player I would have to say would be John Terry. He was a center-back just like myself, and he played for one of the biggest clubs in the world, Chelsea FC. When asked if I model my game after him I would have to say yes.

MDN: How old were you when you started playing and what makes the game so enjoyable?

Markle: I believe I started playing around the age of seven. I’ve come a long way since back when I was little playing rec, but I find it just as much fun as I did back then. Playing soccer, I’ve made lifelong friendships with my teammates, and have gotten the chance to play alongside kids from all over the nation.

Meyer: When I started playing, I was only four years old. There are many things that make it enjoyable for me, such as winning of course, being with my best friends and traveling all over the country. I just love the game whether I’m watching or playing it.

MDN: What goals would you like to reach as a player at the next level?

Markle: My first goal is to make sure I focus on academics before athletics. Though soccer is very important to me, I know I need to work hard off the field if I want to be successful after school. After that, I just want to keep improving myself and my new team as much as possible.

Meyer: My freshman year, I hope to come on and make a difference and prove that I am good enough to be there. I know at times it will be tough and I may not play much at first, but I just need to remember to keep pushing myself as much as I can.

MDN: What will you be majoring in college and what makes you so interested in that subject?

Markle: I will be pursuing a degree in civil engineering. Since I was little, I would look out the car window and ask why things were built like they were, or how things like bridges and gates would work.

Meyer: I am not totally sure at the moment what I will be majoring in college yet, but I do believe it will be something in the field of accounting. One thing that made me interested in accounting was my mom who works at Town and Country Credit Union in the accounting department.