Fitness & Health

Soccer Star Rivera-Patton: Be the MVP

Marc Javier, Journalist, Webmaster, Publisher
January 24, 2023

As Renton High School’s legacy keeps going, the year 2022-2023 sports team had already proved that this has been one of the greatest heritage the school has ever had. All of the sporting events have always been a massive factor of our school, varying from basketball to soccer and various other activities. Several records had already undertaken significant changes, some might have stayed consistent, whereas others have not. Moreover, the sporting event that we’ll be putting on the spotlight is the Renton High School girl’s soccer team, which it started the year very intensely. Ms. Swanson has been the soccer team’s head coach this year. She had worked in the girl’s program for six years and served as the varsity coach for three of those years. I had the chance to speak with her about the progress she has witnessed since she began mentoring. Coach Swanson cited that the team at Renton High School is indeed the strongest team she has ever worked with. She really enjoyed seeing more girls with soccer experience joining the school team. Ms. Swanson asserted that the girls finished third in their league for the regular season overall rankings, with 5 wins and 3 losses which is their highest finish since she began coaching. Eventually, she noted that the girls will have the chance to participate in league and district Tournaments beginning on October 27th. She is extremely excited to witness the girl’s continued development.

With today’s news, I had the opportunity to speak with SOFIA RIVERA- PATTON, a current sophomore student, a member of the girl’s soccer team, and the most valuable player (MVP) during their most recent game against Sammamish High School and as we were still dealing with the covid-19 global epidemic. I had the chance to ask her regarding her helpful hints, advice, and knowledge on playing soccer, which might assist a large number of aspiring players towards becoming better, not only in their sports but also in becoming a better version of themselves and apply it to some areas of their lives.

To begin the interview, I decided to ask her as just an MVP on what advice she would give to a young athlete who wants to be an expert in their chosen sport, and she promptly replied, “I would definitely tell them not to be too hard on themselves. Many athletes, including myself, fall into the habit of comparing ourselves to our competitors, which can be very unhealthy and have a direct impact on your gameplay,” she explained. Team sports, according to our MVP Sofia Rivera-Patton, cultivate a sense of community, and she appears to know that her fellow players have her back both on and off the field, which is the reason she always has wanted to be a part of a team sport. Furthermore, the most difficult aspect of becoming an athlete for her is the fact that being a student-athlete is indeed a tremendous amount of work, and maintaining her academic results throughout the season can be challenging, particularly after a team losing.

Tournaments could be a great deal of fun for her, however, the pressure is intense, and she copes up with the mental pressure she confronts during tournaments by remaining calm all through the game since she believes this will improve her performance. Aside from that, the most difficult aspect of playing soccer for her is staying focused, and she appears to know she’s capable of doing that as long as she remains in the right mindset. Over and above that, I also asked about her opinion if she thinks that athletes have to lead a healthy lifestyle, and she instantly replied, “Definitely. I’m in my peak health during soccer season. Aside from exercise and diet, it gives me a good routine. I never have to wonder if I will have time for my workout because it’s already built into my schedule. Leading a healthy lifestyle keeps me where I want to be, which is on the field, ” she explained. Furthermore, the ultimate sacrifice she finds the most challenging to make in her career were indeed when there is no time for her companions to spend during the soccer season. She played soccer during the first three months of school and yet still enjoys it. Not only that, but participation in sports made her a better student, and athletics keeps her on track, which is always challenging, but still it assists her to keep
sane.

Soccer is her preferred method of burning energy as well as staying in shape, so keeping her overall fitness in good condition aids in maintaining her psychological health in great condition as well. Also, even though they don’t have a match, she aims to train each day, and training is essential to her since it enables her to remain on top of their game and continue to grow throughout the season. For the ultimate question, I asked her if she thinks that attitude is a factor, and she rapidly replied, “I think attitude is definitely a factor in winning. If we go into a game thinking we don’t have a chance to beat the team we’re playing, we won’t have confidence. Confidence is key to winning, ” she explained. Finally, our mvp Sofia decided to share her three captivating words, “BE THE MVP,” with the audience. Through these words, we can indeed be inspired to become our own MVPs in certain areas of our
lives.

In conclusion, the Renton High School girl’s soccer team has progressed through several phases, most noticeably Covid outbreaks, medical issues, and some attempting to make it to leagues. As the year 2022 comes to an end, let us congratulate these incredible, deeply committed, and highly motivated student-athletes Sofia Rivera-Patton with her team on making history. As we conclude this article with MVP Sofia Patton, I keep hoping that each one of her soccer tips, advice, and expert knowledge will assist us in improving not just in our chosen sports but also in the other aspects of our lives where we find love. After reading all this, I was persuaded we were capable of accomplishing our life goals of becoming the MVP through hard work, passion, and perseverance in our chosen sports, whilst still uplifting others.