Today, Saugus Scroll is with Makea Leonard, a current junior at Saugus highschool. Makea is well known for her dedication as a student and involvement within the Saugus Girls Soccer community. Makea made varsity her freshman year and today we ask her just how much this opportunity affected her and how she hopes to continue with her passion but before we get to these points we ask questions based on how her passion started.
When did you first start playing soccer and how did you like it?
“I first started playing soccer when I was 5. My parents noticed that I was really quiet and shy but I loved it a lot. I always looked forward to playing and it was fun making friends on teams.”
Do you have any professional soccer players that inspire you?
“One professional soccer player that really inspired me is Alyssa Thompson. I really like her because she’s not too much older than me and grew up in Santa Clarita. I also like her because of how precise she is with her skills. I like to watch her play on her club ACFC and on the United States Women’s National team.
How were your freshman and sophomore years of playing soccer on Varsity?
“My freshman year on varsity was the best year ever. I loved playing up with the older girls and competing and winning. Unfortunately, my sophomore year was not what I had expected. I got hurt at the beginning of the season and couldn’t play pretty much the whole season. The whole year I was focused on recovering to get ready for this year. I’m definitely excited to play again this year and I feel better than ever”
How would you describe the differences between club and highschool soccer?
“In my opinion, club soccer is way more intense than highschool soccer. Growing up I’ve always been involved with soccer clubs hoping to continue to learn about the sport. Currently, I’m on the LAFC 08 ECNL team. As I continue to play club, I notice the players are faster, smarter, stronger and better. Although highschool soccer can be fun, it’s definitely less strict and stressful since it is more fun to just play with and against your friends.”
What are some ways you are able to keep up your grades while going to practice everyday?
“I have a few steps to keep my grades up since currently I have three or more practices a week and games on the weekend. First, in order to keep my grades up I really try to never procrastinate. In order to do this I do the assignment as soon as I can after it’s assigned so I can reduce stress. Another thing that’s also helpful is doing my homework in the car on the way to practice and on my way back. Doing this definitely helps me turn in my homework on time. Overall, grades are really important to me because I really want to be successful and noticed by other colleges.
Do you want to play college soccer? If so, which colleges are you interested in
“Yes I would absolutely love to play college soccer. In general soccer has been such an important part of my life and I couldn’t just give it up. I’m hoping to play college soccer then try to become professional. I’m interested in a few colleges but the one I’m most interested in is Cal Poly SLO.
