Canton sophomore Antonio Nocera plays nine-striker, also known as center forward, for Canton Cobras Boys Varsity Soccer. The Cobras were able to clinch a spot in the first round of the KLAA playoffs, but they suffered a loss of 4-0 at their regionals game against Dearborn Edsel Ford. Nocera sat down with The Perspective to discuss his challenges on the team and what he has learned from his experience.
Molly Okon: When did you start playing soccer?
Antonio Nocera: When I was five.
MO: What inspired you to start playing soccer?
AN: My brothers, they played before me, and I just wanted to try something new.
MO: Do you play on any other teams for soccer outside of school? If so, what are they?
AN: Yeah. I play for Plymouth Reign. It’s a club team.
MO: Have you broken any personal records?
AN: Not really, but this season I had 21 goals, so that’s kind of a lot.
MO: What’s your favorite thing about playing soccer?
AN: Meeting new friends, you know, having fun, creating memories not just on the field but off the field too.
MO: Walk me through the process of how you mentally prepare for a game.
AN: I usually put my AirPods in and listen to music, like something that calms me down on the way to the game, and when I get to the field, I usually eat something that hypes me up, usually a banana or a protein bar before the game.
MO: Tell me what is going through your mind before a Park rival game.
AN: It’s pretty nervous. I’m just excited to be out there. Some of my friends are on the other teams, and I just want to play my best, get as locked in as I can be, and get ready to play.
MO: What are some strategies you’ve used over the years to help control the ball?
AN: I usually try to get some extra practice with my dad or some of my friends over the weekends, or after school to try and get as much practice as I can.
MO: Has your experience of being on both teams helped you become a better player? If so, in what ways?
AN: It was really nice. It’s a lot of different experiences. The way we play is super different. On JV, I’d say I’m more of a leader, and I led the team a little more. And then on varsity, I experienced a lot more, I learned a lot. It was [a] different competition. It was harder. They were bigger and stronger. It was definitely challenging.
MO: What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned from playing soccer?
AN: Probably just never give up. Even like, there’s some games where you might think it’s over and you still have some time. I usually try to never give up, I always try to play to the whistle.
MO: What advice would you give to someone who is thinking about joining the soccer team?
AN: I think that they should do it, even if they’re not that interested in it. I feel like they should try it out and see if they like it because there’s a lot of things that you can learn from it, a lot of friends you can make.
MO: We want to get to know a little bit more about your personality. Would you rather have the ability to speak to animals or speak every single language in the world and why?
AN: I would probably speak every single language in the world. I like to travel. If I travel someplace then it would be nice to speak the language. It’s pretty cool to talk with different languages.
