Waterloo High School girls soccer standout Erika Lloyd is only a sophomore, meaning the Bulldogs have a very promising future.

Lloyd led her team with 22 goals, six of them game winners, and added another 14 assists for the 16-6-1 Bulldogs, who lost in Friday’s regional championship game to Triad.

The sky is the limit for Lloyd, who was recently selected to the Missouri Youth Soccer Association’s U.S. Olympic Development Program team for the 1998 age group for the fourth consecutive year.

The mission of the Olympic Development Program is to identify and develop the top players in the region and help them gain recognition at the regional and national levels.

“She started playing around the age of 4-5 with not much interest in it, but over the years the dedication and passion for soccer has grown,” said her father, Mike Lloyd.

The ODP team will participate in a tournament in Rockford this summer, playing against teams from other states with the chance to be selected for a camp that offers national exposure in front of college coaches.

Erika received high praise from Real STL Soccer Club head coach Mike Olson, who has coached her for the past six years.

“She is one of the most committed and hardest working players I have worked with over the years,” he said. “Her love for soccer and what it takes to play at a high level is always at the forefront of her mind and training. She has great vision on the pitch and can play several positions without missing a beat. I have no doubts that she will play at the next level and will succeed.”

 Erika has played mostly forward, but  can also play center midfielder and defensive back.

“She has been my most prolific goal scorer over the years.  She is also a strong assist person,” Olson said.