Trailblazer, Soccer Star, Ellison Haynes

We are thrilled to share some exciting news with you! One of LPSS's outstanding students, Ellison Haynes from David Thibodaux STEM Magnet Academy, has been given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in a prestigious soccer academy in Germany for nine months. This is not only a remarkable achievement for Ellison Haynes but also a source of immense pride for the Lafayette Parish School System. Ellison secured a place on this international team among a group of 18 talented individuals nationwide, notably, the sole representative from Louisiana.

Haynes has consistently demonstrated exceptional skills and dedication to soccer since the tender age of eight. Now, he is set to represent our community on an international stage while pursuing his passion. To get to know more about this incredible opportunity and what lies ahead for Ellison, we had the privilege of sitting down with him and his mother, Erika Haynes for an interview. 

Here are some of the questions we asked Ellison and his mom, Mrs. Haynes about the upcoming adventure:

How did you feel when you first found out you were going to Germany? 
Ellison Haynes: I genuinely couldn't believe it at first. I knew she wasn’t joking. But I was still like, no, there was no way. I thought I was dreaming. But yeah, I was really excited. It was still a surreal experience, still is now.

Can you tell us about the application process up until the time you received the news?
Ellison: Yeah, I applied in late April or early May. 
Ericka Haynes (Mom): He needed to send in the application and two letters of recommendation, which the coaches provided. He also needed a highlight Reel, which his sister made. She actually used what she had learned, all of the digital media stuff, at David Thibodaux when she was a student.
Ellison: And we got the Zoom call on July 30. We had scheduled a meeting with them two days before that. But we thought it was just, a Q&A to see, like who I am. But no, the purpose of it was to tell me like, Hey, you made it!

Can you tell us more about the program you'll be joining in Germany? How’d you hear about it?
Ellison: I heard about it on Instagram. I was scrolling through Instagram, and Bayern made a post. It was a big, article. And I actually decided to read it. And as I'm reading it said ‘American players have the opportunity to stay nine months in Munich, Germany.’ And I was intrigued. So I kept on reading. And then I saw apply now, stuff like that. And I was like, “hey, we're doing this.”
It’s called the FC Bayern Munich Global Academy. 

Mrs. Haynes: “He was actually able to get that opportunity through the International Soccer Academy 

What do you think sets you apart as a soccer player and helped you secure this opportunity?
Ellison: The reason that I'm here today is really just training and that helps with confidence as well. Because you gain confidence, mainly through your training.  I think training would really be the key. [Ellision trains 2 hours every weekday]

How do you plan to balance your academic responsibilities while pursuing your soccer dreams abroad?
Ellison: I’m doing it online. We have an allotted time in the afternoon for academics, between 4-5 hours.
Mrs. Haynes: And with the meeting with the superintendent, patching us through Mrs. White with EJ Sam, they’ve done a really great job to work around what’s best for his curriculum and knowing that he's about to embark on a huge transition and a journey, they want to make sure that he will be successful academically, with the classes he's going to be taking online.

If Professional Soccer is your Plan A. What is plan B?
Ellison: I have an extremely big passion for aviation. And I wanted to be a pilot before I got into soccer. So if I couldn't become a professional soccer player,  like if the sport got banned off the face of the Earth, I probably would try to become a commercial airline pilot. But if I didn't get into soccer, I probably graduate high school, go to the Air Force and become a pilot in the Air Force. And then after I would retire from the Air Force, I’d become a commercial airline pilot. That was the original plan before I discovered soccer.

Mrs.Haynes: We knew as parents, that whatever our kids showed interest in, we wanted to nurture that. It’s about what they were passionate about. And Aviation was his first love but when soccer came along, we asked him ‘Which one do you love more?’ once he started playing soccer. And he was like,’ I can’t choose.’ And that’s when I was like ‘woah’.

Are there any specific soccer players or teams in Germany that you admire and hope to learn from during your time there?
Ellison: Definitely FC Bayern. I've always felt they've been one of my favorite teams, because they're just, I mean, when it comes to Bundesliga, and just like the Champions League, and all the leagues that they play in, they're always, the best of the best.

What message do you have for your fellow students and aspiring athletes in our school district?
Ellison: I mean, anything's possible. I tell them that, obviously. But the main thing I tell them is, hey, if I did it,  you can do it as well. And even if I didn't do what I did, even still, they still can do it. Because, you know, I didn't know anybody to be like, hey, how did you get to play overseas and whatnot? I just trained a bunch and then I mean, I got the opportunity that I did. So I just tell somebody like, hey, if you want to do that, just keep your head down and just work. And then try to contact people and get an opportunity like that.

How can the LPSS community support you in this journey?
Ellison: I’ll let my mom answer that.
Mrs. Haynes: 
I just love LPSS. I love how they have rallied behind him in this opportunity. Because it's new to all of us. And Ellis knows as my daughter knows, education comes first. You can be the most talented. I don't care what you are; if You are singer, dancer. Education is first. So for us to let his school know, then let the superintendent know, that was important for us. That was not something that oh, let's just go let him know. We wanted him to be in the know. We wanted the Superintendent and leadership to be proud that this student is coming out of LPSS. And wherever it takes him, he still is a product of LPSS. Special thanks to Lafayette Parish School system for really nurturing our kids. Because People are like ‘Oh, you did a fantastic job.’ But it wasn't just us, they came out of some great schools. 

And my daughter first started at Sacred Heart in Grand Coteau. She was there for her first three years of schooling. So for me to be confident in Lafayette Parish, we took her out to say we will put it in the best public school here. They definitely lived up to that expectation. Shout out to LPSS

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Shout out to you Mrs. Haynes and your entire family. We are extremely proud of Ellison Haynes and wish him the best of luck on this incredible journey. His dedication and commitment to his passion for soccer serve as an inspiration to us all. We look forward to following Ellison's progress and sharing updates about his adventures in Germany.

Today, on September 1, 2023, Ellison embarks on the commencement of his soccer career in Munich Germany.