Bend it Like…Parker?
She’s been called the traffic controller, the distributor, a worker bee, and the cog of the girls varsity soccer team wheel.
A junior from Amherst, MA, Gia Parker has been playing the game since she was five. Parker, who has worked very hard to improve her game over the past two seasons, says the trait that has stuck with her throughout the years, and countless practices, is discipline.
“I take good care of my body, I eat well and I have learned good habits,” she said. “It’s something that I’ve worked really hard at. It didn’t always come easily.“
Monique Conroy is Parker’s advisor, Algebra II teacher, and coach, and has enjoyed watching her advisee develop, both on and off the field.
“Gia came in as a freshman and became a starter at the key position on the field,” said Conroy, adding that that was true even though an older player played ahead of Parker.
In subsequent years, explained Conroy, Parker continued to improve her game, her physical strength, and her endurance.
“She is the fittest girl on the team; nobody will ever question that,” said Conroy.