By: Barnil Aftab and Shamiha Sharif
Student Government rep, Barnil Aftab, had the opportunity to speak to some members of Carey's varsity soccer team, as well as one of the coaches, about their experiences with the sport. Read all about the curveballs the boys have faced, and the insight they have to offer below!
The HFC Boys Varsity Soccer Team has come to the end of a challenging season, but that hasn't stopped the players and coaches from working hard and learning from their experiences.
The team is lead by Coach Princi and Coach Burgess, and the captains John Stravoplous, Daniel Stepien, and Francesco Garofalo.
"I look forward to watching the team grow and develop as the season goes on," said Coach Princi. "I want to manage the guys through the ups and downs and try to teach them how to pull each other through the season and become better by the end."
One of the team's strengths is its unity. "One of our strengths as a team is that we will all fight for each other when things get tough," said Steven Morocho, a center defensive midfielder.
The players have learned a lot this season, both on and off the field. "Don't take anything for granted," says Steven. "A lot of people think that just because you're a starter you're gonna see the field the whole time and that's not the truth. I've learned to appreciate the moment and the time I get playing, and I've learned to work hard for good results."
The team's players also have some interesting pre-game superstitions. "A superstition I specifically have, is that before a game I kiss both the goal posts and I believe it makes me play better," said Vas Dallas, the goalkeeper. "It's something that I have done since I was 10 and will do for future games."
Senior captain and centerback John Stavropoulous believes that faith is important in both life and soccer. "I don't have any superstitions but I believe in God and I pray," John said. "I always wear my cross on the field. Even if the refs tell me to take it off, I put it in my sock, I will always keep it near me.
Role models are a big thing that keeps these athletes going. “Paolo Maldini is one of the greatest defenders of all time and dad has always been there for me so I look up to both of them" says senior captain Daniel Stepien. “My role model is Kepa Arrizabalaga, he's a spanish goalkeeper that I watched growing up and I watch all of his games, he inspires me
to be better” says Vas.
The team also has a number of talented young players who are eager to prove themselves. "I'm excited about the future of this team," said Coach Princi. "We have a lot of young players who are working hard and getting better every day."
Overall, the HFC Boys Varsity Soccer Team has had a successful season, despite their record. The players have grown and developed both on and off the field, and they are optimistic about the future.
Photos by Meaghan Reed
Interview Transcript:
Coach Princi spoke on behalf of Coach Burgess and himself.
Barnil Aftab: “What do you look forward to when coaching the varsity team?”
Coach Princi: “I look forward to watching the team grow and develop as the season goes on, manage the guys through the ups and downs, and try to teach them how to pull each other through the season, and become better by the end of the season.”
Barnil Aftab: “Can you describe what a typical practice looks like?
Coach Princi: “Typical practice is some time off of dynamic warm-up, followed by some stretching. Then, we get into some short-sided possession games. They will break up and work on specific skill sets, and they try to build off the game for the day. We end with some sort of scrimmage by the end of practice."
Barnil Aftab: “What do you think is one of the highlights of the season?”
Coach Princi: “I think one of the highlights of the season is how hard the boys played in Garden City. Even though we didn’t come out on top, we battled harder than we’ve ever battled. The kids followed the game plan, took on one of the top teams in NY state, and we rattled them for 70 out of the 80 minutes that they were on the field, had them scared. They stepped up their level of play, and I'm proud of them.”
Barnil Aftab: “What do you think the team can do better moving forward?”
Coach Princi: “We have a very young team this season, and I would like to see the athletes on their off-season do some weight training and work on their physical aspects of the game that are hard to work on in-season. If we can come back faster and stronger next year, we can change our outlook on how our next season will go.”
Respondent: John Stavropolous- Senior, Captain, Centerback
Barnil Aftab: “How do you stay motivated and maintain your passion throught the season?”
John Stavropolous: “I have been playing since I was 5 years old so that has always been easy for me, I was born to play, and I will play till the day I die. I live for soccer.”
Barnil Aftab: “What is your fondest memory of playing for the team?”
John Stavropolous: “My fondest memory is when I played as a sophomore, that was a great year, we had 11 wins, and it was a great season.”
Barnil Aftab: “Do you have any superstitions you follow before a game?”
John Stavropolous: “I don’t have any superstitions but I believe in God and I pray. I always wear my cross on the field. Even if the refs tell me to take it off and put it in my sock, I always keep it near me."
Respondent: Daniel Stepien- Senior, Centerback
Barnil Aftab: “Who is your role model?”
Dan Stepien: “My role models are Paolo Maldini and my Dad. Paolo is one of the greatest defenders of all time, and Dad has always been there for me, so I look up to both of them.”
Barnil Aftab: “Tell us your history with soccer, and how you started playing on the varsity team.”
Dan Stepien: “My season started back in 2012 when I played for the Franklin Square Raiders, I played into seventh grade. I was on the JH team before I went to the JV team. I got a call from Princi who asked if I wanted to play for varsity. I got pulled up, and now I play for this amazing team."
Respondent: Steven Morocho- Senior, Center Defensive Midfielder
Barnil Aftab: “What do you believe is one of your strengths as a team?”
Steven Morocho: “One of our strengths as a team is that we will all fight for each other when things get tough, right now with our record being 4-6-2, with 2 games left, we will have to be united together.”
Barnil Aftab: “What is the most significant lesson you’ve learned playing varsity soccer?”
Steven Morocho: “Don’t take anything for granted, A lot of people think that just because you’re on the team, you’re gonna get minutes, or that if you're a starter you’re gonna see the field the whole time and that's not the truth. I’ve learned to appreciate the moment and the time I get playing, and I’ve learned to work hard for good results."
Respondent: Vasillios Dallas- Junior, Goalkeeper
Barnil Aftab: “Who is your role model?”
Vas Dallas: “My role model is Kepa Arrizabalaga, he's a spanish goalkeeper that I watched growing up and I watch all of his games, he inspires me to be better.”
Barnil Aftab: “Do you have any superstitions you follow before a game?”
Vas Dallas: “A superstition I specifically have is before a game I have to kiss both of the goalposts. I believe it makes me play better. It's something that I have done since I was 10, and will do for future games.”
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