The News-Press selects players who stood out over the past week based on a combination of coaches’ reports and school recommendations sent to sports@news-press.com and our own coverage. These athletes take part in a poll every Monday on news-press.com where readers can vote for the athlete they think did the best job. The winner of “The News-Press Athlete of the Week” voting sponsored by Elevate Home Services will receive a T-shirt provided by BSN Sports and a tote bag provided by USA Today High School Sports Awards. To learn more about the winners, The News-Press will conduct a Q&A session with each athlete.
Sponsored by Elevate Home Services from December 9th to 14th, this week’s News Press Athlete was Canterbury women’s soccer player Alyssa Logercio. Senior received 53% of the vote. Loguercio had a hat trick against Village School in an 8-0 win and earned the nomination.
Question: The Cougars started the season 11-1-1. What is the reason for your success?
Rogercio: I think we’ve come together more as a family. We definitely got to know each other and the additional training we did definitely had a big impact on us. And the work that Coach Alex (Samson) and Coach Paolo (Acosta) did, like getting off the field and going to watch other people’s games, really helped us improve as a team.
What do you like about soccer?
Rogercio: I’m a really competitive person, so I like being given 90 minutes to change something. It’s unpredictable. It’s funny because even the strongest teams can lose.
Are there any soccer players you respect?
Rogercio: I like Rose LaBelle. Because she has good ball handling skills and is fast. And I like the position she plays.
Do you have any pre-game rituals?
Rogercio: I like to drink Alani before every game. After school I’m exhausted and I have a very low caffeine tolerance so I’m really ready for the game.
As a senior, what advice would you give to young soccer players?
Roguercio: I try to focus on the present moment and not let things slip by. Be grateful every time you step on the field because you never know when it will be your last.
