Sydney Arreza '25 Recruiting Profile

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always played sports.  Soccer, basketball, surfing, skiing, snowboarding, I love them all. It was something I shared with my Dad, our special connection.

I was two & a half years old when my parents put me in a rec soccer league at our local park.  I was so shy, I mostly just sat at the sidelines and watched the other kids play.  At the end of each game, the parents handed out delicious snacks, fruit juice, gold fish, and gummy bears.  Once in a while you’ll get something special, like cupcakes, with frosting.  In those days, I mostly came for the snacks.  Game after game, I would suit up and sit, suit up and sit. I’ll never forget my first soccer coach, Coach Danny.  Before every game, he would kneel in front of me and say, “When you’re ready Syd, I’ll be over there. You just wave at me and I’ll put you in ok?”.  Halfway through the season, I raised my hand and asked Coach if I could play. I haven’t stopped playing since.

I attend a magnet high school, where there is a lot of focus on academic work, work ethic, building a strong mind and character, a strong sense of community, a better person.  All qualities needed to be successful not just in soccer but in life.  My goal is to become such a person.  Someone who can contribute well, push myself and my team to be better.  Someone my family, my friends, my teammates, my community can depend on.

If I have learned anything from playing sports, it’s that things happen whether you like it or not. Some games you win, some games you lose.  Some things you can control, some things you cannot.  But if you prepare, work hard, and stay the course, eventually, good things will happen.  You might even end up winning two back to back girls soccer state championships, the first in your small high school’s history, population 260, and now working on your third.

Every game I play, I play for my family and my team.  I play for my Dad.  I play for me.  And I smile because, no matter the outcome, I can feel my Dad with me and I hear him say, ”Great job Syd, I’m so proud of you”.