Get To Know Me (Player Spotlight) – Ian Becerra
At Nebraska Soccer Talk, we love covering everything soccer related. For the most part, that means covering games and providing analysis/opinions. However, our overall mission and purpose is far reaching and ambitious. Our goal is to bring the soccer community closer together through collaboration and communication. There are countless people that deserve recognition for their efforts as a player, official, or coach. Throughout the season, we will be highlighting these individuals through our Get To Know Me articles.
This will be a series made up of three different components. All of which are meant to bring attention to the soccer community.
- Get To Know Me (Coach Edition) – These individuals are responsible for building their programs, growing the game of soccer, and mentoring the next generation. We look forward to learning about their lives and philosophies.
- Get To Know Me (Player Edition) – This article series will focus on high school juniors and seniors that have demonstrated themselves to be quality players and people. With these features, our community will learn about some of the most impressive players in the state.
- Future of the Game – This article series will focus on the freshmen and sophomore classes. These are players that we will be covering for years to come.
Thank you to every individual that provided information for this idea. We appreciate your thoughtful and timely responses.
Ian Becerra
Parent(s)/Guardian(s): Gil Becerra & Janet Scott
High School Soccer Team: Lincoln High School, Boys Varsity Team, 4-year starter
Position: Attacking Midfield
Club Team: Hawks FC, 2002 Boys / NFC, 02 Stevenson – 2020 State Champions
Grade: 12th
What is your favorite subject in school? Why? History & Spanish. I have had awesome teachers – shout out to Chris Turley, Andrew Bargen, and Señora Stetson.
What are your future plans? Undecided. I plan to attend college and would like to continue playing soccer, but I’m still considering my options.
Who’s your favorite soccer player and why?
Andres Iniesta or Ronaldinho. I love Iniesta’s style of play and how he can see a play before anyone else and execute it through a perfect pass. I love Ronaldinho’s flair and how much he loves playing; he always has a smile on his face.
Throughout your high school career, you have undoubtedly learned many lessons and matured as a player. Based on those lessons and experiences, give three pieces of advice to your freshman self.
Stay focused on your goals. There are a lot of distractions, but if you really want something, be willing to work hard for what you want. You never know what you can or can’t do until you try. There is no off-season in soccer. Always play to the whistle.
Who has helped you become the player that you are today? How did they help you? Is there anything you would like to tell them?
I have a lot of people to thank for helping me be the player that I am today. First, my parents have always pushed me to do better and work hard. My mom has sacrificed not just for me, but for many other soccer kids. The Gil Becerra program has made all the difference. Chad Carter’s program helped too – he’s definitely taught me about style. Rashad Moxy pushed me to the limit – he made me cry, vomit, and cramp – but he made me better. He taught me to never be satisfied and to focus, not on my strengths, but on improving my weaknesses.
I want to thank all my club coaches since I was 4-yrs-old who have helped to shape my game and my personality. A special thank you to Coach Mike Dean of SOFC and Coach Malcolm Crummy of Hawks. Coach Alex Cerny believed in me and gave me a chance as a freshman. My 7th and 8th-grade cross country coach, Ms. Eastman, inspired my running. She taught me that every race and every game present a lesson to learn. Thank you to the 2006 Hawks team for teaching me about character and leadership. And finally, soccer is a team sport, so I have to thank my teammates on my club and high-school teams – I wouldn’t be the player or the person I am without them.
Could you see yourself coaching soccer someday? Is that a path that you are interested in following? If so, why?
Yes, because I’m good at seeing the little things that make a difference. I have mentored and helped coach younger Hawks players and I enjoy seeing their success in high-school. Soccer can be more than a sport, it can have major impact on what opportunities one has and what kind of character one develops. I want to be a part of this sport throughout my life.
Thank you for reading and being a part of our new community. A like, share, comment or recommendation of content would be greatly appreciated. In order to financially support our efforts, sponsorship/partnership opportunities have become available. Sponsors will receive vast exposure to the Nebraska soccer community through different media avenues. The sponsorship process is easy and reasonable.
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