The varsity team is the one to be on for any sport. Players show off their best skills while the coach is watching, hoping for a ‘good job’ or ‘nice work’ to boost their chances of getting to varsity. However, freshman Gabrielle Tolentino found her way to varsity connections before tryouts started. 

“I played a lot of different sports growing up,” Tolentino said. “I came to soccer in fourth grade. I started because my brother started doing it.”

She played soccer for a lower-level team for two years before moving to the soccer club, Legacy. 

“I’ve been playing club for about four years,” Tolentino said.

She practices with the girl’s varsity soccer team during 7th-period soccer class. 

“Technically I am not on varsity yet, not until tryouts, but the plan is to make varsity.” 

She says practicing with this group of experienced soccer players has changed the way she plays. 

“Playing with the varsity soccer group has improved me a lot,” Tolentino said. “It tells me what I need to work on and what level I need to be at on tryouts. It boosted my confidence because I know I can catch up with them and that the other freshmen can catch up with them despite them being juniors and seniors.”

A huge part of any sports player’s growth is how their coaches impact them. All coaches have different methods that work for them, and if a player is lucky, they find a coach they work well with. 

“Coach Paul from Legacy saw me playing in rec and decided he wanted to take me to try out for Legacy,” Tolentino said. “He saw what could’ve been and what is now. He pushed me when I thought I couldn’t be pushed any further. He is an amazing coach and I probably wouldn’t be where I am today without him.”

Aspirations to play at a higher level are often factors that push student athletes to continue to play their sport. 

“[The reason I want to play is] mainly the opportunity to play college,” Tolentino said.  “After I got scouted to play club it was my goal in the long run. It pushes me through practices and injuries, the opportunity to play college.” Tolentino said. 

Even when you are practicing and playing with players older than you and more experienced then you, you can still learn a lot and enjoy yourself without finding yourself intimidated. 

“It has been fun,” Tolentino said. “They’re amazing people. They made it easy to not be nervous.”