Soccer gives Annastasia Parrilla a reason to keep going. “My favorite thing about soccer is having the ability to put my cleats on every day and having a team to do it all with me,” she says.
Annastasia is a junior at Shawnee High School. She plays left wing and left striker. “My favorite part about being on a team are the bonds with people I’ve never expected and having people’s trust and friendships. The amount of time we spend together makes us all closer on and off the field,” she said.
The best advice anyone has given her is to keep running even when you feel like walking. “That might sound silly but to me, it means a lot. It means that for the days you don’t feel like showing up or working harder, you still have to. To keep getting better and to make it where you want to be, you have to keep moving.
“I’m very passionate about soccer because it has taught me so many things. I’ve learned skills that I can use on and off the field. I’ve even learned many things about myself that I didn’t know. My sport has taught me many life lessons. The most important ones are how to be patient with others, how to be a good leader and how to stay humble even in times when it’s hard,” said Annastasia.
The teammate who most inspires her is Addison Williams. “Addison never fails to make me laugh. She has respect for everyone and she always shows up. She has never let us down and stepped up even when she didn’t want to.” Annastasia also looks to herself for inspiration. “I never let myself fail and I never let myself get in the mindset that I can’t do something.”
The school spirit at SHS makes Annastasia proud to be an athlete. “We never fail to be there for one another’s success. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has ever shown up for me and a big thank you to my dad who has never stopped showing me his love and support since day one.”
