Easton High School
Soccer, Track and Field
The responsibility of juggling schoolwork, sports, and a social life can take a toll on high school students. But for Stephanie Reyes, the time commitment needed to become successful in each of those aspects is something she gladly takes on.
“Sports have been a yearlong contribution for me,” Reyes says. “Almost every day I wake up ready to challenge myself and achieve success, whether it is in the classroom, on the court, on the field, or even at home. Taking part in sports has helped me shape a disciplined, strong character.”
Her love for soccer began when she was only four years old. “I started when my father introduced me to a soccer ball and now I can’t keep my feet away from one,” she says.
She gradually channeled her love of the game into persistence and dedication, which has paid off mightily.
Reyes was voted back-to-back North Bayside Soccer Player of the Year her junior and senior years. Her latest award is remarkable considering she scored 16 goals and eight assists in six games before tearing her ACL. A four-year starter and team captain her final three seasons, Reyes owns the school record for career goals (68) and goals in a season (23), set in 2011.
She earned 2011 North Bayside Player of the Year runner-up, Bayside First Team in 2011, 2012, and 2013, a 2012/2013 North Bayside Championship, and was a 2013 Senior All-Star.
Reyes helped lead the BayShore Blast U16 travel team to the 2012 Baltimore Beltway Soccer League spring championship. She topped that performance with another title by scoring all eight of her U18 team’s goals in the 2013 Columbia Memorial Day Tournament Championship game.
Her accolades don’t end on the soccer field. Reyes also holds the school record in the 300m hurdles and 4x2 relay, which she set in 2012.
Reyes will be playing soccer at Youngstown State University on a full athletic scholarship. Before becoming a Penguin, she considered attending UCLA, Western Carolina University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Kutztown University, University of Central Florida, and University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
At Youngstown State, she plans to pursue her goal of becoming a Pediatric Occupational Therapist. Her appreciation for such a career has been deeply rooted since childhood.
“Throughout my life I have seen my mom work with disabled children through occupational therapy and I have also been able to travel all around the world through mission work,” says Reyes, whose trips have taken her to Mexico, El Salvador, Taiwan, and Indonesia. “I have learned that many of us here at home have a lot to be appreciative of. I want to be able to work and focus on early intervention and help children with disabilities.”
--Jake Russell
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