September AoTM (Female): Kat O’Brien — Soccer Superstar

What grade are you in?

A senior so in 12th.

How long have you been playing?

All 4 years of highschool, but I played soccer outside of school for basically my entire life.

What position do you play?

Foreword

How did you start playing, what age were you when you started?

I was really, really young about 4 years old.

Have you played any other positions?

Midfield

Do you want to play in college, do you know what school you’re attending?

Yes, I want to play in college. Where? I don’t know yet.

Do you play any other sports?

Used to but not any more

Do you play outside of school?

Yeah!

Which do you like playing better in or outside of school?

Inside school.

What was the hardest thing to learn about the sport?

Team building, it’s important for the game, to know when to focus on you and your teammates 

What is your favorite thing about the sport?

I don’t, I guess the game itself and playing with my best friends.

What is your greatest achievement in the sport?

I don’t know. I guess I never thought about it. I guess it would be talk to college coaches and making my dream of playing after high school a reality.

What is the greatest moment you had during the sport?

When you win that really tough game, the fun rides on the bus when it is an away game. Having that high off winning feeling. Coming together as a team.

How do you stay in shape?

Conditioning! All the time! Whether it is with the team at practice or on your own. 

Is it hard for you to balance school and sports, how do you balance them out?

Sometimes it is hard; the time of the season varies. The most important thing is, don’t procrastinate.

Do you want to go pro?

Probably not. When I was little I did.

Do you have any before game rituals or superstitions?

My teammates and I have to place our bags and our stuff in the same exact place.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS (STATISTICAL OR OTHERWISE) FROM THE MONTH:

• Helped lead the team to an 8-3-1 record in September
• Scored 8 goals and tallied 3 assists in the month
• Player of the Week nominee for the Shore Conference by multiple media outlets

ATHLETE’S IMPACT ON THE TEAM’S OVERALL SUCCESS:

• In addition to leading the team in scoring, Kat’s impact is far-reaching, as she is the senior captain who has the respect of her teammates and has often been responsible for refocusing, energizing, and being a positive force. Kat is the hardest working player on the team.