Alyse Rivera always scores in style. When she was 5 years old, she would slide on the ground to kick the ball in the goal. The more dramatic, the better.
Though she has fine-tuned her goal-scoring technique since, Alyse, now 15, has the same fiery passion for soccer (and a knack for finding the back of the net). Now in her second season on a full scholarship playing for the Asphalt Green Soccer Club, she has her sights set on playing in college.
Asphalt Green Soccer Club coaches discovered Alyse through our free community sports leagues. A coach was impressed by her talent and asked her to try out for the club team.
Alyse says, “At first I was nervous, but I knew I needed a new challenge. It takes time to get comfortable, but I made friends quickly. I’m happy that I chose to come to [Asphalt Green].”
Alyse balances training and school. She trains three to four times per week and plays on her high school team. She believes she does better in school because she plays soccer.
“Soccer helps alleviate the stress of school,” Alyse says. “The sport has always been an outlet for me to forget everything and do something that I’m passionate about.”
Alyse’s hard work is paying off, and she wants to continue to improve to earn a spot on a college team. She has learned the value of patience, hard work, humility, and constructive criticism.
“I can’t imagine my life without soccer,” Alyse says. “Without the scholarship, I wouldn’t be here.”
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