The Kent Reporter athlete of the week for the week of Sept. 20 are from Kentridge; Avan Woods (Soph.) football, Tiana Stephenson (Sr.) soccer.
What do you value in your sport or about your team?
Woods: I value my teammates and my coaches.
Stephenson: The thing I value the most about this team is all the close friendships it’s brought me. Its very easy to enjoy a sport when you get to play it with your favorite people every day.
What have you learned from your sport that you can take with you throughout your life/future?
Woods: Life won’t always go your way, you need to keep fighting.
Stephenson: Soccer has taught me how to deal with pressure and how to not let it get to my head. Every game we play is a steppingstone to complete our goal of getting as far as possible in the state tournament. When we play hard teams its easy to be super nervous about the end result but taking deep breaths and just playing my best game makes everything easier.
What do you do when you aren’t motivated and what helps you stay motivated?
Woods: When I’m not motivated, I talk to my brothers on the team and to keep me motivated I just think about the best outcome.
Stephenson:When I’m not motivated I think about making it to state and how exciting that was last fall. All of us are hoping to experience that feeling again so we know we need to continue to work hard.
Do you have a favorite pre-game meal?
Woods: Chicken with mashed potatoes and ice cold water.
Stephenson: My favorite pre-game meal is an energy drink.
What advice would you give to a teammate that is struggling?
Woods: Keep your head up and think about the best outcome.
Stephenson:If my teammate was struggling, I would tell them that they are on our team for a reason and they are a valuable player. With our coach taking a small roster this season there were many players fighting for a spot and all the people that made the team completely deserved it.
From the sidelines:
Woods:Avan is a do-everything player for us. He leads the team in tackles as a sophomore. He is playing both sides of the ball for us. He has a no quit attitude.
Stephenson: A returning varsity member. Came to tryouts with great energy and desire and has continued that positive momentum in practices and games. Tiana has performed exceptionally well at the outside forward position, but also has helped the team as a defender. Her flexibility to play multiple positions, and play at a high level, has been a big asset to the team. Tiana keeps a “glass half-full” approach to just about everything, and this helps her get through challenging situations.
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