Soccer
Favorite athlete: Hope Solo
Favorite team: U.S. Women’s National Team
Most embarrassing/funniest thing that has happened while competing in sports: My friend got shanked by an opponent on the other team while she was getting ready to shoot.
Music on iPod: Pretty much everything
Future plans: Playing soccer in college at the University of South Carolina
Words to live by: ‘Leave no doubt.’
One goal before turning 30: Win a National Championship at South Carolina
One thing people don’t know about me: I am very superstitious
By Alex Frazier
Last summer after her club team won regionals, Stevi Parker got a tattoo. Inked on her ribs is her personal motto, “Leave No Doubt.”
“I just like to live by it,” she said. “Anything I would like to accomplish I make sure I work really hard at it so that there’s no doubt in my mind when it comes time to compete I know I’ll be prepared.”
“She’s the most competitive player we have and will do anything for a win,” said Pennridge girls soccer coach Jorge Rodriguez. “If we don’t win the way she would say is the right way, she’ll be frustrated. That’s what keeps her motivated to improve and why each year she gets better and better.”
And not coincidentally, for the past four years so has the Pennridge girls’ soccer team.
“I don’t think we’ve had a better player in the area besides Stevi,” said Rodriguez. “I’ve been hearing about Stevi since she was in seventh grade when I took over at Pennridge, and she was every bit what the hype was about. There’s been no one more crucial to this program than Stevi Parker.”
When she arrived at Pennridge as a freshman, she was a huge part of the Lady Rams’ first district championship. When she was a sophomore, Pennridge placed third in the district tournament and once again bowed out of states in the first round. As a junior the Rams finished second in districts and made it to the quarterfinals in states. This year they won districts again and went all the way to the state finals before losing 1-0 to defending champion Peters Township, which they dominated put couldn’t put away.
“It was a rough loss, but we’re just trying to think of all the good things we accomplished this year,” said Parker. “Soccer is a funny game. Sometimes the best team doesn’t win. We weren’t the highest scoring team all year and it ended up getting us in the end, but we’re still very proud of what we were able to do.”
Parker is certainly not the tallest player on the field, but she stands head and shoulders above most other players.
“I like to say I’m 5-2, but I really don’t know if I’m that tall,” she said. “Everybody tells me something different. I don’t know what to believe so I just say I’m 5-2.”
“Her ability to jump and win balls in the air from girls that are a foot to half a foot taller than her is one of the things that everyone first notices,” said Rodriguez.
Parker has learned to compensate.
“I try not to think about it,” she said. “My dad has always told me growing up to work harder, that everybody is going to be bigger than me. I guess that’s why I work a lot on winning balls out of the air. I practice heading the ball over and over so I can get my timing down. I forget about my height and go out and play like size doesn’t matter.”
Parker started playing soccer at the age of three when she was still living in Philadelphia.
“My dad played soccer in high school and he wanted me to try it out and so I did and I ended up really liking it,” she said. “I haven’t stopped since.”
Almost literally.
The day after the state finals, Parker was out on the field again practicing with her PA Strikers club team, which won regionals last spring and placed fourth in the nation.
And she never tires of it.
“A lot of people tell me to be careful not to get burned out, but I just love it,” she said. “I pretty much play every single day. I can’t really live without it.”
She did flirt with basketball, softball and gymnastics for a while but that didn’t last.
“I wasn’t really ever serious about the other sports,” she said. “I just did them for fun.”
Parker has been a two-year captain.
“If I thought she could handle it, she would have been a captain as a sophomore,” said Rodriguez. “She’s a born leader and an extremely responsible player, almost too much because she takes everything on herself. She has the highest expectations for herself and her team.”
As a freshman and sophomore, Parker led by example
“That’s how she plays it,” said Rodriguez. “Every play she just leaves everything out on the field. That’s leadership.”
Now as a senior, Parker has matured as a vocal leader as well.
“She does it off the field more than anything,” said Rodriguez. “She’s constantly talking to the girls. We have a little team prayer that we do. She leads the prayer and gets the girls jazzed up and me jazzed up. I know I always scream a little louder at the end of it. She’s a special person.”
Not only will Rodriguez miss her next year, but also Pennridge, which will be the lesser for her graduation.
“She is the most technical player we’ve ever seen in the program,” said Rodriguez. “She’s a gifted athlete and has the biggest heart I’ve seen. You hardly ever see players of her caliber. It’s been a joy to coach her and it’s sad to see her go. I don’t think she’s a player you can replace. There’s certain things in her personality you’ll never find in another kid.”
Parker’s academic record is equally as impressive as her soccer credentials. She carries a 4.5 grade point average. She is taking all honors courses with the exception of advanced placement biology and statistics.
“I work hard in school,” she said. “I don’t like losing or coming in second, so I try to do the best at everything I can.”
All of Parker’s hard work and dedication have paid off in a full scholarship to the University of South Carolina. She chose the Gamecocks over Florida, West Virginia, Maryland and Rutgers.
“When I went down to visit, I loved the girls and the team environment was like a family and the coaches were awesome. The school was really pretty and their soccer program is really good,” she said.
Of course the warm weather didn’t hurt.
Having seen her play in a number of college showcases around the country, the South Carolina coaches were obviously impressed.
“If you watch her long enough you start to pick out that she’s a workhorse. She’s technical and pretty savvy with the ball and she has good vision for the field,” said Rodriguez. “Regardless of her height disadvantage, Stevi’s aggressiveness and her ability to use her body is not going to hold her back at playing and getting lots of minutes at the Division One level. Even though she’s playing at the highest Division One level, she’s going to succeed and stand out.”
Parker is hoping to see a lot of time next year at her favorite position center midfield.
“They know I’m versatile, so they can move me around,” she said.
Parker knows there are no guarantees next year, but she is definitely gunning for a starting role.
And you can be sure of one thing.
She leaves no doubt.
