Emanuel Noyola ’23 eyes the soccer ball as it is passed between two players on the other team. With calculated motions, Noyola swiftly intercepts and dribbles it towards the opposing team’s goal. Quickening the pace of his steps, he fixes his gaze on the goalie and launches the ball at the goal. Roaring cheers erupt from the crowd as the ball hits the back of the net.

All athletes make mistakes in their lives, but only the good ones will learn to overcome them and become better. Varsity Boys Soccer Midfielder Emanuel Noyola ’23 shows that despite having obstacles in the process, he uses his passion and persistence to achieve success.

Watching his uncles’ soccer games as a child contributed to Emanuel Noyola’s interest in soccer. He started playing when he was nine, and only played soccer throughout his childhood and he’s continued through high school.

Noyola’s talent, consistency, and commitment to the game lead to his influential performance on the field: becoming a varsity team member in his sophomore year and now an indispensable player on the boys varsity soccer team.

“He's very humble. He lets his play do the talking. He's a man of few words, but he makes a lot of very smart plays, and it makes you trust him,” said teammate Jack Serxner ’23.

Playing successfully at a varsity level does not come without doubts. After missing an opportunity to score an important goal in one of his sophomore year games, Noyola was in doubt of his career in soccer. However, he remembered his motivation to play when he was younger and realized that the desire he had to continue playing outweighed his mistake. As a result, Noyola persevered and continued his role on the soccer team.

“I told myself to not quit because I know how good I can be and I don’t want to put my time into waste. I just needed to keep working hard and get better,” Noyola said.

Noyola continued to dedicate his time to improving his soccer skills and learning from his coaches and captains. In his junior year he took more of a leadership role as an upperclassman, challenging himself to be more assertive on the field and be a role model for the younger players.

“He has developed a lot of confidence over the years as a player, ” said Serxner. “He demands the ball more on the field. He has the belief in himself that he can make amazing plays on the field.”

Not only is Noyola a hardworking athlete who always seeks to improve himself, but he has also shown strong abilities in supporting his teammates. As a senior on the team, Noyola tries to help his teammates and assist them for more scoring opportunities.

“In our first game against Trenton this season, he had the assists to Azariah Breitman. And we ended up winning one nil [zero]. He did a really good job of controlling the midfield…[and] played a huge part in this first goal we scored,” Serxner said.

Noyola wishes to continue playing soccer in college, and as an athlete who has gained many experiences from his plays, he has advice for the incoming and current younger athletes of the PHS soccer team.

“Keep on going and focus on your own self. Don’t let the circumstances and other people put you down. Always work hard to improve yourself and also help the people around you,” Noyola said.