Athlete of the Week: Sarah Quick

Sarah Quick, a 15-year-old forward on the Cardinal Mooney Catholic High School soccer teams, is back on the field after being out for a month with a concussion. Quick talks about her first high school game and her hopes for the rest of the season.

Tell me about your first high school game.
I was nervous. It was a scrimmage game, and I didn’t play that much, but it was fun to play with everyone.

Have you always played forward?
No, I played center-mid in club. There, you play left and right and pass outside a lot. You don’t take that many shots. As a forward, you’re the No. 1 person to take shots, so it was a hard transition.

Which position do you prefer?
I prefer center-mid. You’re in the middle, and you feel more in control. As a forward, you can’t really control what’s going on with defense.

What is your fondest soccer memory?
Last year, we beat Bishop Verot in penalty kicks in districts. The whole game was very intense. We tied it up in the last 13 seconds and beat them in penalty kicks.

How have you improved most as a player?
I’ve improved my shooting; I’m taking stronger shots. It just comes with time and experience and figuring things out.

What has been your biggest learning experience?
We just lost to Verot last week in the district championships. Because we had beaten them before, we got cocky and thought we could win. That was a hard loss for the whole team. We learned to think about the game that’s in front of us.

What does it take to be a good soccer player?
Determination. You have to work hard. You’re not born a good soccer player; you have to work to become one.

How have you been playing this year?
Well, I was out for a month because of a concussion. It happened in November, and I was out for all of December. It was hard watching, especially when we were losing. It was hard not to be able to go back in.

What are your hopes for the rest of the season?
I hope we enjoy our last games and hopefully we’ll make it to regionals.