It’s 5:00 a.m. on a Thursday, and the sun has not yet risen in Princeton. While everyone else is still asleep, an alarm wakes Josh Snyder ’22 up. After a quick bite to eat, he’s down by the field practicing soccer. He gets home just as the sun’s glow touches the sky, and he’s ready to start the day. Snyder knows that to have success, he must be committed.

At a young age, Snyder began playing soccer due to the sport’s influence in his family. His dad, a former youth national player who almost went professional, nurtured his interest in the sport by creating a healthy environment.

“He always told me it didn’t matter what I would do, just as long [as] I was the best at it, and it just so happened that I also loved soccer,” Snyder said.

Snyder said that he took a while to take the sport seriously, which caused him to lag behind. However, it spurred him to work harder than he had before.

Currently, Snyder is a goalkeeper for the Princeton Development Academy. To get the primary spot, he had to prove himself as their best shot-stopper. Since there is only one primary goalkeeper on every team and they are not substituted like outfield players during a game, it is one of the hardest positions to get regular game-time. Although Snyder is his team’s primary goalkeeper, he also has other goalkeepers teammates. Despite the competition, Snyder tries to maintain a good relationship with them.

“We all understand we’re battling for a spot, but at the same time we are a family,” said Snyder. “At the end of the day, we want to be the best that we can.”

To keep his spot on the team, Snyder trains especially hard on his own time, in order to get an edge over his competition.

“I still feel like I'm a little bit behind because I [developed] so late,” said Snyder. “But the only way to catch up is to work harder than everyone else.”

While Josh’s dad, Michael Johnson, is his trainer, he doesn’t go easy on him. In fact, Mr. Johnson says that he goes even tougher than he would on other players.

“Hes trained with other professionals, so he knows what it takes to go pro,” said Mr. Johnson. “I train Josh harder, because he is a reflection of myself.”

Not only does Snyder play the game well, but he’s also well versed in it. One of his biggest inspirations in the sport right now is goalkeeper Édouard Mendy, who as recently as 2014 was playing non-league soccer. However he persisted and managed to get to the top division in soccer, where he won the UEFA Champions League, the most prestigious trophy in Europe.

“His story inspires me,” said Snyder. “He never gave up, even at [21] years old, which is old for a non-professional. Now he’s playing for his national team.”

Snyder’s maturity and fun-loving personality has been missed by his teammates and his teachers. Outside of soccer Snyder sees Chemistry and Racial Literacy Teacher Joy Barnes-Johnson as a mentor that he can go to for help about anything. Over the years, Barnes-Johnson has seen Snyder develop his leadership and communication skills.

“Snyder shined because he was able to apply his collaboration and leadership skills in my class,” said Barnes-Johnson. “Josh is a leader, but he doesn’t usurp authority. He taught me the power of collaboration.”

Echoing Barnes-Johnson about Snyder’s leadership skills, long-time teammate Breno Azevedo ’22 feels that Snyder effectively balances his own work ethic with his motivation to lead others.

“Josh is an extraordinarily hard worker whose inclination to elevate every last detail of his game helps him grow as a player. He also holds his teammates to a high standard because he wants his team to succeed. Josh’s work ethic will ultimately help him realize his ambition of continuing to grow in soccer,” Azevedo said.

For student athletes all over the country, the span of junior and senior year is arguably the most important time in their careers. For athletes wanting to take the next step, the transition to college sports is imperative. For Snyder, he made sure that he put himself out there for colleges to see his capabilities.

“I’ve probably emailed over one hundred different coaches,” said Snyder. “I was desperate for an opportunity, so all I needed was for someone to give me a chance.”

Snyder’s hard work eventually paid off, after being accepted into the University of Hartford to play Division I soccer. While Snyder is excited for what lies in his future, he understands that the hard work is not over and won’t get carried away.

“The same way you treat soccer on the field should be how you treat [other things] off the field,'’ said Snyder. “If you’re a hard worker, you’re going to get results. It’s the same in school, if you do your homework, you’re going to go to the school you want to. On days where you want to quit, don’t, because it builds character.”