For most athletes, the goal is to accomplish a certain task by the end of the season. Whether it is effortlessly scoring an upper 90 or qualifying for state quarterfinals. Similar to most upperclassmen, junior Micah Yutzy is making an effort to play soccer at the college level. Yutzy has been playing since the age of four.  He currently plays for the U18 SVU team and the HHS varsity soccer team.

¨I would like to play college soccer. [A school I’d want to play for is] maybe VCU [Virginia Commonwealth],¨ Yutzy said. ¨It’d be nice to play Division 1 soccer, but I will probably play at a Division 3 school like Bridgewater [College].¨

Yutzy can be found on the field as a center back, right back or forward. Although he plays on different locations on the field, Yutzy’s friendship with left back, Anthony Lopez has grown.

¨[I’d consider] Anthony Lopez my closest teammate,¨ Yutzy said. ¨[Currently], I am playing as a center back which makes us have to be more involved with each other on and off the field.¨

Most athletes have a reason for why they pursue their athletic career. Yutzy mentioned that his family is his support system, always present at his games. Additionally, HHS alum Olivia Yutzy has motivated him to keep playing and strive for success in his soccer career.

¨[My sister] Olivia Yutzy, plays soccer as well. She played SVU recreation soccer, SOCA [Soccer Organization Charlottesville Area] Club soccer and high school soccer [at HHS],¨ Yutzy said. ¨She got offered to play at Roanoke college with a full ride scholarship. She didn’t go because it didn’t have her major. Now she is [a student] at VCU.¨

Although staying in shape is Yutzy’s weakness, fighting off negativity that conflicts his mindset to continue playing is also an issue. A variety of cases may cause athletes to shut down the thought of continuing their sports career. Many of those cases may be lack of playing time, serious injuries or being apathetic. Yutzy confessed that a huge reason why he has felt this way was due to the outcome of last season.

¨I [no longer wanted to play] because of how we ended off the season last year. I wasn’t happy when we lost against Charlottesville,¨ Yutzy said. ¨[At that time], I didn’t want to play anymore but here I am again, trying again.¨