Two New Jersey Soccer Stars, One South Carolina Dream: How ‘The Headbands’ Are Taking Their Talents to the SEC

Anastasia Showler-Little and Kennedy Wallace have taken dramatically different high school paths, but the two New Jersey midfielders are headed to South Carolina and now share another milestone in the U.S. youth national team program.

New Jersey girls soccer stars – Anastasia Showler-Little (left) and Kennedy Wallace – have forged unique high school journeys, but paths have led them to the University of South Carolina for their college careers. | Anastasia Showler-Little and Kennedy Wallace

Anastasia Showler-Little and Kennedy Wallace have taken very different routes through New Jersey high school soccer.

Showler-Little became a record-setting scorer while carrying a struggling Boonton program. Wallace has emerged as a playmaker for a talented St. John Vianney team.

Somewhere along the way, the two midfielders became teammates, friends and “The Headbands.”

Now their paths are converging in a much bigger way.

Showler-Little and Wallace are committed to South Carolina, where they hope to compete for championships in the SEC and on the national stage. This week, both were also selected for a combined U.S. Under-18/Under-19 Women's National Team training camp Oct. 3-10 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The camp is another step along the U.S. youth national team pathway for the two New Jersey standouts. Every player invited is age-eligible for the team that will eventually attempt to qualify for the 2028 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

Rewriting the Boonton Record Book

From her freshman through junior seasons, Showler-Little was often a one-person offensive show for a Boonton program trying to find its footing.

As a freshman in 2023, Showler-Little scored 17 of her team's 20 goals. She became accustomed to facing multiple defenders, sometimes navigating triple- and even four-player coverage.

“I think we have a pretty special team this year,” Wallace said.

In a little more than two seasons of varsity soccer, Wallace has displayed her playmaking ability with 31 goals and 28 assists.

She has helped St. John Vianney compile a 30-15-3 record during her varsity career.

From Elite Club Soccer to the Street Game

Their high school experiences have been dramatically different, but elite club soccer helped bring Showler-Little and Wallace together.

Both currently compete for Gotham FC U-18 after previous stints with Players Development Academy (PDA) and Match Fit Academy of the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), respectively.

They also teamed up for Youth 4 Youth FC's LA Famiglia in the inaugural Nike Toma street soccer tournament in June.

The small-sided competition gave young players a less structured environment designed to emphasize creativity and technical ability. Showler-Little and Wallace helped LA Famiglia win the tournament while competing in front of U.S. Women's National Team coach Emma Hayes and Brazilian soccer legend Ronaldinho.

Different Styles, Same Headbands

Showler-Little is a versatile midfielder known for tight footwork and creative flair. Wallace is more of a classic box-to-box midfielder, with technical ability and a knack for distribution.

Their personalities and playing styles may be different, but their relationship has continued to grow both on and off the field.

Along the way came a nickname.

“The Headbands.”

It's a reference to the Nike headbands both wear when they take the field, a small similarity between two players whose soccer journeys otherwise haven't looked much alike.

Now they're headed toward another shared destination.

Both have committed to play for South Carolina and longtime coach Shelley Smith, one of the nation's established women's soccer programs.

Before that, however, comes another opportunity together.

Another Step on the National Team Path

Showler-Little and Wallace were among 24 players selected for the combined U.S. U-18/U-19 Women's National Team training camp in West Palm Beach.

The roster includes players born in 2008 and 2009, all of whom are age-eligible for the team that will attempt to qualify for the 2028 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

For Showler-Little and Wallace, the invitation represents another step in a soccer journey that increasingly has them traveling side by side.

Their high school experiences could hardly look more different. Showler-Little became a record-setting scorer while trying to lift Boonton. Wallace developed on a St. John Vianney team accustomed to winning.

Club soccer brought them together. The headbands became part of their identity. South Carolina became their shared destination.

Now the U.S. youth national team pathway has brought them together again.

Different paths. Different graduating classes. Same headbands.

And increasingly, the same soccer journey.