Junior influences team through competitiveness and leadership
Passing and shooting for over ten years, junior Arun Singh started playing soccer in his backyard at the age of six. His passion for “The Beautiful Game” led him to join a local club team at the age of ten and later compete on the FC field with the varsity boys team.
Coming off of the team’s recent victory at the Garces Tournament, Singh anticipates finishing off his third high school season with a win. As a starting player since freshman year, Singh shares his strategies used out on the field.
“Behind the scenes there is a lot of on-field organization and learning our team’s strengths and weaknesses,” Singh said. “One of my favorite memories this season has been winning the Garces Tournament for the first time. Looking forward this year, my expectations for this team is to go all the way since we are all high caliber players.”
Singh’s determination to play college soccer inspires his high school efforts. Former Fresno Football Club member and former FC soccer coach Ramon Del Campo reflects on coaching Singh’s sophomore year and the start of his junior year.
“He’s a leader through his competitiveness,” Del Campo said. “He always wants to win and pushes his teammates to want the same as well. He’s versatile in different positions and energy both defensively and offensively. Seeing him score his first goal at the Garces Tournament was priceless.”
In the following Instagram post, The Feather features the varsity boys soccer team after their first place win in the Garces Tournament.
Richie Cortez , ‘20, discusses Singh’s progression throughout the seasons. Cortez encourages upper and underclassmen as a varsity captain this season.
“He’s a great defender and a vital piece to our back four,” said Cortez. “He’s always hyping his teammates up and is very determined to win; you want that in a teammate. Off the field, he’s a great guy as well; everyone loves the guy, around campus he’s hilarious and it’s always a blast to be around him.”
As Cortez and Singh have shared the last three seasons playing soccer together, Cortez observes growth and competitiveness in Singh as the two show leadership on the field.
“My favorite memory with Arun would have to be the goal he scored this past Garces tournament,” Cortez said. “He scored from half field. He meant to give a ball in the box to Angel Ruelas but the goalkeeper went after Angel and not the ball.
“When Angel missed the ball it bounced right over the goal keeper and into the goal,” Cortez continued. “That play was the winner against Liberty one to zero. Without that goal I’m not sure we would have won the entire tournament because that goal got us to the next stage.”
In the following podcast, Faith Monroy interviews Arun Singh about his journey through the years playing soccer.
Martha Fierro, mother of junior Lorenzo Fierro, became a mother figure to Singh early freshman year. Fierro shares how she has seen Singh develop in his engagement with the game, on the field and in academics.
“Arun has gotten faster over the last two seasons and he has also learned to take instructions from teammates,” Fierro said. “As an influence in his life, I saw last season he was not able to be a starter due to academics. This year he has focused and realized academics and play time go hand-in-hand.”
Boys varsity soccer hosts WCPA at their next game along with girls soccer, girls basketball and boys basketball. Come out and support your Eagles!
For more articles, check out EDITORIAL: Civilian action trumps political opinion, discourse inspires empathy and Ellie Scully balances athletics, music, academics with determination.
Faith Monroy can be reached via Twitter.
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