Soccer is a sport in which teamwork is very important. One of the best to do it at Antioch is senior Brock Jurinek, a team captain and a leader. Although the team has not started the season with the best record, they are looking forward to competing to be the NLCC champions this year and finishing their year strong.
“After a rough start, I believe we have the potential to finish at the top of the conference,” Jurinek said. “A common team goal we have is to win the conference”.
Jurinek started playing soccer nearly 10 years ago; It has been a passion of his for the longest time. He is a star on the field and excels in the classroom as well. He does not look to differ from his path as he continues on to college.
“I am very interested in playing soccer in college and I want to go to a place in which I can play and [also] have challenging courses,” Jurinek said.
While keeping his college experience in mind, Jurinek hopes to take his athleticism very seriously as well. With this goal in mind, Jurinek dedicates a large amount of time to the sport and has set an exceptional example for the rest of the team; He has been a role model for both veteran players and rookies that have recently joined the varsity soccer team.
Of course, being a leader on the soccer field is no accident, as being able to be looked up to by others often comes from one’s vibrant personality. One teammate who has recognized this is senior Cody Basovsky. He is grateful for Jurinek making him a higher energy person and for being someone who makes the long practices more enjoyable.
“Outside of soccer, [Jurinek] is still extremely hard working and very energetic and that’s carried onto me when we hang out. He has helped me become more energetic,” Basovsky said. “He always gives 100% at practices and games.”
No captain comes about without holding others accountable and having traits which influence others to be the best version of themselves. Jurinek does not stray from this as he is a role model as a person and on the field. Senior DaxCody ton Foote has been a close friend of Jurinek for many years and recognizes Jurinek’s impact.
“Brock portrays leadership and hard work and he is always motivated. This helps younger players by giving them a role model to look up to considering he not only has good grades but is also amazing on the field too,” Foote said. “Brock is one of my closest friends so he has impacted me greatly. He always has something funny to say and is always in good spirits. Brock has made me better by making practices and games a higher intensity. This not only makes me better but also makes the team better.”
Last season, the Sequoits finished near the middle of the pack in conference play and only expect to grow from here on out. The team has not started out as they planned but is hopeful for a deep playoff run as they believe they have the tools to be able to accomplish this.
“I feel like the team right now hasn’t played the way we wanted to be playing, but we are still looking forward to getting better,” Basovsky said.
The Sequoits this year are primarily led by seniors. With a very strong senior class, they expect to be very successful. The seniors are not blinded by age to see how their peer stands out amongst the crowd.
“I think the team will do pretty well this year. The hope is to win the conference and go on to see what we can do further along the road,” Foote said. “Brock has positively impacted the team not only by his incredible skill but his attitude towards the game as well. He is always wanting to work hard and is always looking for ways to make people better.
Jurinek is an excellent scorer which is very important to having success in the sport; He is one of the leaders in goals and holds himself to this standard. It is not hard to spot Jurinek as he excels in being able to dribble, shoot and pass.
Competing in a conference with relatively good soccer is no easy competition, but Jurinek still manages to be one of the best. He hopes to carry on his impact on soccer and others to the next level where he can hopefully excel and succeed. Whether playing soccer or learning in the classroom, he never fails to give it his all and not give up.
