Player Profile: Alyssa
I have coached Alyssa for several seasons now, and her growth as both a player and individual have been remarkable to watch. She has served as captain for her team for 2 seasons now. Alyssa is extremely motivated and sets very high standards for herself, and as a result she improves at an unbelievable rate.
She is known for being explosively quick, both in acceleration and over long sprints. Many an opponent has been made to look silly chasing after her. Her ability to cut with the ball and change direction to beat defenders is invaluable in our attack. However, Alyssa has qualities that are too easily taken for granted by her teammates. Her voice can be heard loud and clear, consistently helping teammates find passes and saying "Good job!" to other players. She is kind and humble, and despite her clear advantage in speed and athleticism, she never gloats or shows off. She is a positive example to her team both in her behavior and her performances.
I asked her to answer a set of questions about her perception of soccer and how it has affected her life - see her responses below.
I play soccer, I am a stat girl for my high schools wrestling team and I work for a pizza company
How do you balance success in school and in soccer?
I have a very small social life & I write everything down in my calendar
What position do you play, why do you play it, and why do you like it?
I am an outside mid, I play it because I’m fast and I’m able to get up and down the field easily, I like it because I love getting to help out offensively and defensively
Do you have a favorite professional team or player? Why?
I enjoy the women’s us national team, I love how well they work together and they’re all amazing soccer players
What are some of your favorite things about soccer?
I love the team aspect and I love that it keeps me in shape
What are some of the main reasons you like your team?
I love my team because all of the girls are beyond nice and we can all laugh together and have a good time and still get the job done
Describe a couple favorite memories from your soccer career.
The first goal I ever scored when I played for nova, the Coeur d'Alene tournament, and winning the Icebreakers tournament
What is your #1 most memorable moment of something you achieved on the field?
Finally being able to use my foot skills and I got past 4 nova girls and was able to successfully pass the ball off for an attempted shot on goal
Have you made friends since you joined the team?
YES
Do you enjoy travelling to tournaments with your team, and if so, why?
Yes, because I get to make memories in really cool places and we get team bonding moments only we will remember for the rest of our lives
In what ways has participating in soccer affected other areas of your life?
It has kept me optimistic when times are tough because I have a whole team of people I can go to. It has made me a very hard worker.
Do you see yourself participating in the sport later in life, either as a coach, a player, or both?
Yes, I plan on playing soccer and maybe coaching for the rest of my life
How has your experience of being a captain for your team affected you?
It has made me more confident on and off the field and it helps me improve my leadership skills
What would you like to see happen to soccer in our area in the future?
I would love to see us get more big tournaments
If you were trying to convince someone to start playing soccer, what is the #1 reason you would give them?
It’s the best sport ever and you will get 11+ amazing friends
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