Name: Emma Vanderheyden
Class: 2029
Sport: Penn Girls Soccer
Instagram: emmav.anderheyden
#workhard
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned through Penn Girls Soccer?: I would say the most important lesson I’ve learned is that at the end of the day we’re all a team and working as a team and supporting each other is the only way to be successful.
What are your pre-game rituals?: Before games the most important thing I do is probably listen to music and I also like to imagine myself making plays in my head.
Who is a player (at any level) you look up to, and why?: Although it’s basic and I know she’s retired, I really like to watch Alex Morgan play because it’s so inspiring how she worked her way to becoming one of the world’s best women’s soccer players ever.
What is a challenge you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?: The biggest challenge I’ve faced while playing Soccer is definitely my confidence. I used to really struggle with always being in my head all game long leading me to be one step to slow consistently in plays and not giving 110 percent and how I overcame this was consistently putting in reps outside of practice and learning in games. Also, I learned that mistakes are how you learn and if your afraid to make a mistake there’s no way to get better and improve, positive self talk definitely helped as well.
What are your strengths as a soccer player?: My strengths as a soccer player is definitely me defending (the position I play). I also feel like I do a good job of recovering and covering for other players when they do lose the ball.
What do you love most about representing Penn High School?: What I love most about representing Penn High School is that for me it makes me want to play better because I’m playing for my school and I feel like it makes me want to play better.
How do you handle stress and pressure?: To handle stress and pressure I’ll usually use positive self-talk telling myself I can do this and this is going to be a good game, I also take deep breaths if my heart rate is high.
How do you keep your teammates feeling positive and motivated during a loss?: To keep the team motivated during a loss, something that often is brought up is what can work, if we put in all our energy and give it our all to win then we can.
How do you balance Athletics with Academics?: To balance academics and athletics I make sure I complete all my homework and I’ll do my routine when I get home which is eat, shower, do my school work then go to bed.
How do you stay motivated during the off-season?: To stay motivated during the off season I like to remind myself of the goals I want to accomplish in the text season and the only way I can accomplish those goals is if I work hard continuously to do so.
