Sophomore center mid Amanda Polyniak

Thomas Santos, Sports Writer

Name: Amanda Polyniak

Sport: Soccer

Grade: 10

Position: Attacking Midfielder

Final Stats:

11 goals 4 assists

Final Team Record:

14-5-3

Coach’s comment about the athlete:

“Amanda is a hard worker and would do anything to help her team succeed,”Coach Amy Lombardo said. “She is a great playmaker in the middle of the field and helped her teammates reach the state sectional finals.”

What they like most about their sport:

“I just like playing a team sport,” Polyniak said. “Then obviously I like scoring goals.”

Amanda Polyniak scores her second goal of the game, making the score 2-0 Valley with 10:26 left in the first half. pic.twitter.com/vxKwJ4ZUte

— PV Student Publication Sports (@pvsportscenter) November 2, 2021

How did you get into playing this sport?

“My parents signed me up for rec soccer when I was four, and then I continued playing from there,” Polyniak said.

How was it coming back from your knee injury? Did you expect any setbacks this season as a result of it?

“I’m very grateful that I was actually able to play this season because when I first injured my knee they told me 4-6 months [to recover] but I was back for the whole season,” Polyniak said. “And I only really had one game where I was in a lot of pain, but the rest of the games were fine.”

Explain the role you had as a young leader on a team that made it so far in the state tournament?

“In my role, I was just trying to do my best to have an impact every time I stepped on the field,” Polyniak said. “Honestly it takes all of us on the team to work together to help us be as successful as we were this season.”

Amanda Polyniak shields the ball from Elmwood Park defenders in Valley’s 3-1 victory in the first round of their state tournament. (Amelia Jacob)

Speaking of the state tournament, what was going through your head throughout the run?
Polyniak said that they were shocked that they were able to play so many home games during the run they had in the state tournament. “I don’t think any of us expected to get that far, we haven’t gotten that far in over ten years,” Polyniak said. “But it was really fun.”

Only being a sophomore, how do you think you will be able to lead your team in future seasons?

“My goal is to keep improving,” Polyniak said. “I have the off-season now and club season in the spring. I’m just trying to work on my game to become the best player I can be so that I can help the team out in any way possible.”

Do you follow this sport on the professional level? If so, what teams do you like?

Polyniak said that she is really interested in watching women’s soccer at the pro level and follows the US Women’s national team. However, she also enjoys watching any soccer game that happens to be on tv.

Best sports memory:

“Last year,” Polyniak said. “Against Old Tappan in double overtime, I scored the game-winning goal with about a minute left on the clock.”