Hard work, determination key for Ortega
When you talk to people about Skye Ortega, you get the sense that there is something different about her. In a good way. The sophomore standout at Notre Dame Prep in Scottsdale, AZ has many great qualities as a student…
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Continue ReadingWhen you talk to people about Skye Ortega, you get the sense that there is something different about her. In a good way. The sophomore standout at Notre Dame Prep in Scottsdale, AZ has many great qualities as a student and an athlete, but one in particular that makes her very different.
Ortega is driven. She wants to be great and is focused on playing soccer after high school and will do the work needed to make it happen.
“Skye is very driven and willing to put in the work to succeed. Whether that’s extra training sessions, speed and agility sessions, she understands that doing the extras will take her to the next level,” Ortega’s trainer Carli Farquharson said. “Her potential is limitless. Skye is only continuing to grow and get better which makes her future that much more exciting.”
Ortega has the wisdom of a much older player, as she not only knows she has to work hard, but knows exactly what she needs to while working hard.
“My best soccer days are tomorrow, as I’m doing the work today that helps me develop and break through barriers,” Ortega said. “During the week, I’m at the gym at 5:00 a.m. developing more strength and speed with additional ACL injury prevention training. Soccer drives me to be uncomfortable and push past challenges of yesterday.”
In addition to being driven, she has another great quality that coaches at the college level like to see. Ortega, who plays club at the ECNL level for the Arizona Arsenal 2007 team, is team first and she is always glad to receive instruction.
“Skyler is a great teammate, always supporting players when she’s off the field, and trying to encourage them when she’s on,” her club coach Brett Meskill said. “Skyler is very coachable and wants to know what she can do to help the team be successful. I think colleges are always looking for Student Athletes and that is exactly what I think Skyler is. She can definitely play at the next level. Not only is she a good player on the soccer field, she is a good student in the classroom.”
Ortega should be considered a relentless player, but not just relentless in her pursuit of being a great player, but even more so in her pursuit of being the best teammate that she can be. She is a very hungry player, she is a humble player who admits that she is not the most talented player in the world, therefore she possesses the passion to always give her best and to improve each day.
She is a gritty player, but that’s not to say she isn’t talented. She is a very creative player who has excellent technical abilities and can operate in tight spaces as well as show off her skills when in open space.
“Skye is a runner,” Farquharson said. “She can drive up the field and back, and is relentless in 1v1’s. She will put her body on the line at all cost to prevent any goal.”
Ortega has worked so hard to improve over the four years that she has been working with Farquharson, and she can see the improvement. Ortega has grown, literally and figuratively. She has gotten bigger and stronger, and she has continued to improve from a skills perspective.
“Skye has grown tremendously over the years. I see her now and she’s literally grown a few inches in front of my eyes,” Farquharson said. “She’s really honed in on her skills. She can drive up the line and recover to return to her defensive position. It’s never fun to deal with a player like that as an opposing team.”
Ortega plays outside back, and as a left-footed player, will be highly sought after by college recruiters. Having a left back that has a strong left foot is a huge luxury. She’s so dynamic and versatile, though, that she can play on either side.
“Skyler is a lefty which you don’t always have on a team,” Meskill said. “That helps when you can have players on the left side of the field using their dominant foot. Skyler is willing to get stuck into tackles when the opportunity comes. She’s not afraid of some contact and will dish it out if she needs to.”
Because of her strong left foot, because of her technical skills, because of how hard she works and because she strives to be a good teammate, Ortega will find a landing spot when her recruiting window opens up, but she will be searching for the right fit as she emphasizes academics. She is an honors student with a 4.12 GPA.
“My ideal college is one that has strong academics, a coaching staff that works in developing all individual players to be their best, and an environment that craves best results,” Ortega said.