Seventh-grader earns spot on Thunder squad

LAKEWOOD RANCH — As he stepped onto The Out-of-Door Academy soccer field in front of dozens of screaming fans for the first time last month, seventh-grader Vito Bavaro couldn’t help but get caught up in a wave of emotion.

After all, it wasn’t until moments before the game was about to begin that the 13-year-old forward learned he was going to become the first seventh-grader to start on varsity.

“The first varsity game is when the coach told me I was starting,” Bavaro said. “I was extremely happy. It was just a great and fun experience. It’s amazing. To be the first seventh-grader to play on varsity — it’s pretty exciting.”

In his first season with ODA, Bavaro already has notched a few assists while helping lead the Thunder to a 6-0-1 record.

In addition to starting on varsity, Bavaro also plays on the school’s JV soccer team, where he has scored three goals in three games this season. Most recently, Bavaro recorded a goal and an assist in the Thunder’s 3-3 tie against Shorecrest Prep Dec. 8.

“Whenever there’s a cross between JV and varsity, I play JV because there are not enough kids on JV,” Bavaro said. “I’m only allowed to play three games a week, so whenever I get to play varsity or JV, I go.”

But while the atmospheres are completely different, Bavaro’s goals are similar whether he’s playing varsity or JV: help the Thunder win any way he can.

“I want to get a goal in every JV game and score points in every varsity game,” Bavaro said. “I just enjoy the coaching, playing with all of my friends and just the excitement and all of the fans cheering.”

Bavaro began playing soccer six years ago after watching his dad, Vito Bavaro, coach high school soccer in their home state of New Jersey. The Bavaros moved to Florida in 2005, and the younger Bavaro joined the Braden River Soccer Club. He spent the next four years playing for Braden River before making ODA’s roster this winter.

Before joining the Thunder, Bavaro spent time dribbling around the soccer fields at Lakewood Ranch High School, where his dad coaches varsity boys soccer.

While watching the Mustangs over the past few years, Bavaro has learned how to maintain possession and improve his ball-handling skills while learning what it takes to play for a district championship-caliber program.

However, Bavaro is the first to admit that being the coach’s son isn’t always easy.

“Sometimes, they make fun of me,” Bavaro said of the Mustangs. “It’s just something because I’m the coach’s son.

“It’s good and it’s bad,” he said. “Sometimes, I don’t like when he talks to me, and sometimes I do. He’s not the coach, so if he tells me something and my coach tells me something else ... It’s just weird.”

But while he is already making a name for himself at ODA, Bavaro isn’t only a soccer player. He also plays hockey for the Florida Everblades 97 team. This past weekend, Bavaro and his Everglades teammates traveled to Dallas for the 97 Super Series.

Bavaro has been playing hockey since he was in elementary school. He began playing eight years ago after watching some of his friends play.

“A bunch of my friends were playing, and I would always go watch hockey games in New Jersey,” Bavaro said. “I decided I wanted to try it one time.”

Since joining the Everglades, Bavaro, who plays right wing, has traveled across the state and the country competing in tournaments at least once a month.

Last year, Bavaro and his teammates qualified for nationals — a feat achieved by only 11 teams across the country.

Although between soccer practices and games and hockey practices and tournaments, Bavaro admits he rarely has a day off.

“I pretty much never have a weekend (off) it’s either practice or tournaments,” Bavaro said.

Bavaro is hoping his hard work will pay off and has aspirations of going away to prep school and playing hockey and soccer there when he’s in ninth grade.

“I’ve been playing for so long … I just love it so much,” Bavaro said.

Contact Jen Blanco at [email protected].