By High School Sports September 23, 2013 9:00 am
By High School Sports | September 23, 2013 9:00 am ET
Geovanni Garcia
Sophomore * Middletown * boys soccer
THE WEEK: Scored two goals in a 3-1 victory over Newark on Sept. 17, then had two goals and an assist in a 6-0 win over A.I. du Pont on Thursday.
THE SEASON: "This year, [the team] has gotten a lot better," Garcia said of his team, which only won five games last season. "I expect the most from everybody." Although Middletown lost a tough 1-0 decision against St. Andrew's on Saturday, he said that won't be on his mind when the Cavaliers (3-2) face Tower Hill at 3:45 today on DeGroat Field.
THE IMPROVEMENT: When Garcia was a freshman, he chipped in six goals for the season. The sophomore has already reached that total with at least 10 games remaining. He said, "My definition has gotten better."
THE TEAM: Garcia enjoys being a part of the Middletown team. He has fun, while enjoying the company of his teammates, which include 12 upperclassmen. "They treat you [well]," he said. "They don't see you as at the bottom of them; they see you as an equal."
THE COACH SAYS: "I'm really proud of Geovanni; he's a really big part of our program," said coach Brian Derrickson, who has been coaching for 20 years. "As a player, Geovanni brings all the tools that we're looking for as a forward. The aggressiveness, the ability to finish, the distribution. … He's got a lot of potential."
THE BEGINNING: Garcia, a striker, began playing soccer at the age of seven. "I actually didn't like it when I was little. … My friends encouraged me to do it," said Garcia, who enjoys scoring the most.
THE MOTIVATION: Even though he was not completely sold on the game at an early age, the loss of a family member inspires Garcia to continue. Garcia's uncle, who liked soccer and supported the athlete, died when Garcia was around 9 years old. "I do it for him," he said.
THE CLASSROOM: His favorite subject in school is mathematics. "I just like numbers, and I'm pretty good at it, too," Garcia said.
THE FUTURE: Middletown's top scorer hasn't really thought about playing at the next level just yet. "If it happens … that's great, but I don't want to get my hopes high before it happens," he said. Garcia's next goal is to possibly become a captain of the Cavaliers squad.
— Gianna Banner
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https://usatodayhss.com/2013/athlete-of-the-week