West Ashley High School senior Irvin Rodriguez has shined on the soccer field this season. “Irvin is in his third year of playing varsity soccer at West Ashley High,” says Varsity Soccer Coach Stephen Jackson. “His work ethic and competitiveness make him one of the top players in the state.” For his hard work and accomplishments, Rodriguez was named this week’s Athlete of the Week.
When he learned that he had received this honor, Rodriguez said, “It feels pretty good.” In addition to being named Athlete of the Week, Rodriguez was selected to the Charleston Shootout All Tournament Team and Michael Nash All Tournament Team this season. “He is an All Region player, team scoring leader, and a captain,” says Jackson. Rodriguez currently has nine goals, nine assists, and leads the team in scoring.
Rodriguez has been playing soccer for eleven years now, but this is not his first season of success. Last year Rodriguez was named the Varsity Soccer Most Valuable Player (MVP). He was chosen for his hard work during games and practices. While Rodriguez was very happy and proud to be named the MVP, he made sure not to let the title diminish his work ethic. He always remembers that no matter how hard he practices, it’s important to “work hard [and] know someone is working harder.”
At Rodriguez’s most recent game, his team won 2-0. “The season isn’t what we would like it to be,” says Rodriguez. “It’s still a work in progress.” The team has been hard at work to improve. “We think about what we need to accomplish,” says Rodriguez. He and his teammates put in a lot of hard work to make the team better. “We like to show others we might not be the best, but we work well together.”
Rodriguez claims that his serious personality plays a positive role when it comes to soccer. “It helps me concentrate at games,” says Rodriguez. Although he may take soccer very seriously, that doesn’t stop him from having fun and enjoying the sport. “I like how you get to play with your teammates and interact with them,” says Rodriguez.
Although soccer is a very important part of his life, Rodriguez doesn’t let his schoolwork take a backburner. As soon as practice is over, he heads home to finish his homework before he starts anything else. He manages his time well and doesn’t let himself fall behind.
His dedication to school has allowed Rodriguez to continue his soccer career. He plans to play soccer at the University of South Carolina Aiken where he will major in Engineering. He has taken many Project Lead The Way (PLTW) classes through West Ashley High and will be a Career & Technology Education Completer this year. “Work hard towards your goals and you’ll accomplish great things,” says Rodriguez.
