Catholic Convert-Soccer Star Glorifies God and Scores One for Moms and Babies
I admit I don’t know much about soccer, but when Catholic convert and professional soccer player Clay Dimick scored a thrilling goal late in his team’s home opener March 16, I jumped and screamed like all of his supporters — especially because I knew it was more than just for kicks for the Charlotte Independence team captain.
Dimick took to the field at Memorial Stadium that night wearing cleats specially designed to showcase MiraVia, our local nonprofit that provides a safe haven for pregnant college students and a source of hope for moms in the community — a cause that is dear to him — as part of the “Cleats for a Cause” initiative.
The soccer phenom, who was adopted, told me, “My birth mom was also a college student when she gave birth to me, and seeing MiraVia bless so many mothers and children in such a similar situation was truly special.”
Designed by artist Jaylin Roman, we were in awe as Clay’s cleats shone under the bright stadium lights, showcasing vibrant shades of Marian blue, MiraVia’s logo with an eight-pointed gold star, and the words “A Miraculous Way for Moms,” giving a nod to our apostolate’s name, which means, “Miraculous Way” in Latin.
An Alumnus of MiraVia’s Home Turf
The soccer player is an alumnus of Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, where our college residence has been welcoming pregnant college students for more than a decade. He played soccer for Belmont Abbey, attending the college from 2013 to 16, when MiraVia’s residence was new.
He met several MiraVia moms in his time at the abbey, including Grace Mitchell, one of MiraVia’s moms who graduated from Belmont Abbey and the college-residence program who now works at our residence, mentoring current student moms.
“When we met, he shared a little about his story of being adopted and how beautiful it was that I had chosen life for my son. He even got a little emotional,” Mitchell shared with me.
