By Katherine Chan
Earning a spot on a varsity team as a freshman is no easy feat, but for Vanessa Nguyen, years of experience and dedication have paid off leading her to Fountain Valley High School’s (FVHS) girls varsity soccer team.
Although neither of her parents played soccer, Nguyen initially began her soccer journey at Boys and Girls Club after being inspired by her older brother’s involvement in the sport—at only seven years old.
“I started when my brother first got into soccer, so I wanted to copy him and do the same sport,” Nguyen said.
From there, she developed through programs such as American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) and club soccer at FC Premier, building strong fundamentals and training at competitive levels. Nguyen credits much of her readiness for making the jump to the varsity level to her club coaches prior to high school as well as her mom.
“A lot of my club coaches helped me the most to prepare for what high school soccer would be like and they showed me what I would expect,” Nguyen said. “Also, my mom helped push me in training.”
Once her high school soccer season began, this prior preparation became valuable. Managing advanced classes along with the difficult practice schedule required strong time management and discipline.
“I was surprised about the [athletic work] amount,” Nguyen said. “Because we had eight games in two weeks. We practice two hours every day from Monday to Friday.”
Despite the intensity, Nguyen embraces the challenges, letting go of procrastination to finish her academic responsibilities before putting on her soccer mindset. Moreover, she finds excitement in being a part of a tight-knit team community. Before the season’s kickoff, her favorite game-day tradition was the time spent connecting with her teammates.
“My favorite part of a game day is the warm-up conversations–the conversations before the game during warm-ups and stretching circles,” Nguyen said. “We just talk about random stuff, and it’s really fun.”
A standout moment for Nguyen was during a game against Hoover High School where she scored her first goal of the season for the team. Nguyen is currently focused on growth as a player rather than pressure. Although she is still unsure about pursuing soccer at the collegiate level, she hopes to be a role model for younger soccer players in the future.
“I see myself hopefully becoming more of a leadership role as I grow older and being someone the younger people can look up to,” Nguyen said.
Whether she goes into college soccer or not, her focus, adaptable and leaderly traits will take her far no matter what paths she follows. As she continues into her freshman season, Nguyen’s drive and positive attitude set her apart, marking the beginning of her journey as a member of the FVHS varsity girls’ soccer team.
