Gatorade National Player of the Year – Addison Halpern – Part 3

USE THE PROMO CODE almasin30 for a discount on your first subscription   Here is the third edition of the Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year award winner Addison “Addy Halpern” as she gives her fans and future aspiring college players a glimpse of what it is like to be a Division 1 soccer player. Addy's insights from her experience at the University of Virginia will definitely benefit players seeking to play collegiate soccer at any level. Addy is part of an elite group of recruits featuring 10 newcomers, and she and Jordyn Hardeman headline as the nation's top recruits.   Video: University of Virginia welcomes newcomers to the program - Exhibition Match   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhr3ewkQAuI </div></figure>   Although being a heavily recruited player, Addy seemed to have taken things in stride, as both of her parents played soccer while in college. Her dad played for a year at St. Peter's College, and her mom at Radford University. Mrs. Halpern was also a Hall of Fame player at her D1 college (Radford Highlanders).That is so awesome to have both parents have played the sport she loves at a very competitive level and pass on those genes. Addy also mentioned that her parents are her role models.   Video: Addy scores her 100th Goal and celebrates with parents.  180 Career Goals.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L55MKTtCa2U </div></figure>   Addy has jumped headfirst right into the program and is seeing a lot of playing time as a freshman starter. In the most recent match against Xavier, another freshman starter and elite-level recruit (Pearl Cecil) scored the winning goal (3-0).These highly recruited student-athletes are making a direct impact, and it will be great to see how far this team can go once they build chemistry. The talent level is definitely off the charts, and legendary coach Steve Swanson and his recruiting staff are starting to see glimpses of how great this team could be.   Video: Addy gets the start and almost gets a goal.  Goal credited to Ella Carter.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFvLrUyTHcI </div></figure>   The remainder of this article will be focused on the questions and answers. Super excited when Addy agreed to take time out of her busy schedule to work with me on this article. Wishing her a successful year at UVA, and I'm sure that once she gets into a rhythm, the sky's the limit. Go Cavs!   Q and A's: Part 3   Question #1 - What do you like most about being a student-athlete at Virginia?   Addy - "My favorite part of being a student-athlete at Virginia is getting to go to such a high-level academic school that is also gorgeous, while playing the sport I love with a coaching staff that I know truly cares about me and my development, along with teammates who share the same end goal as me."   Question #2 - Who do you look up to or who has helped you transition from a high school player to a collegiate player?   Addy - "Both of my parents have helped me with the transition. Going to school early was a bit scary, but with their support and knowledge, I was able to go into college confident and ready. My parents being college athletes themselves also means that not only are they my support system, but also my role models. I hope to follow in their footsteps as a successful collegiate student-athlete."   Question #3 - What are some of the challenges of transitioning from high school to college, if any?   Addy - "I would say just getting used to time management—using your time wisely and making sure you get things done with the time you're given—is really important. Taking advantage of the resources available to you, especially as a student-athlete at UVA, is also key. On the field, I'd say the speed of play was the biggest transition and definitely took some getting used to. It's much faster than club soccer and is the biggest difference I noticed."   Question #4 - What advice would you give future collegiate soccer players as tips for competing for a roster spot or starting position on a collegiate soccer team?   Addy - "First of all, make sure you are fit—because without that, there is nothing. You can't compete for playing time if you can't give 100% because you're tired. Second, you HAVE to be confident in your ability. You can't overthink every little thing, because you'll never play your best if you're scared or timid. Lastly, give yourself some grace. We all come from being the best on our club teams, but in college everyone is good. It's okay to not be a starter right away and to have to work for a spot. That doesn't mean you're not good enough—it just means you're surrounded by talented players who will push you to be better. It takes time to get where you want to be, and that's okay!"   Question #5 - What are 2-3 things you would like to accomplish in your first year on the Virginia Soccer team?   Addy - "This season, I would like to score at least 5–10 goals and record 5–10 assists. I want to win the ACC conference with the team."   Question #6 - What is your Daily Schedule Outline?    Addy - "My schedule usually looks like three classes in the morning—9 a.m., 10 a.m., and 11 a.m. Then I'll grab lunch and have a little time to get work done before heading over to the facility for training and treatment. After training, maybe I'll do some recovery, then grab dinner, and head home to finish homework."   X Post: Part 3 - Gatorade NPOY - Addison Halpern - New Jersey State Player of the Year and U.S. U-20 team player   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BayAreaSocScout/status/1958007686089289889 </div></figure>   Just wanted to give a huge thanks to Addison Halpern for being such a great ambassador for this sport. We hope to see you at the U-20 World Cup and follow your college soccer journey. You are an inspiration to many players, and as fans at Prep Soccer, we wish you the best.

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