The clock is ticking down, and with the game tied, Nick Matese ’24 eyes the ball flying towards him. Seeing a chance, he turns to kick a ball, scoring a goal.

Matese has been an important player for PHS Varsity Soccer ever since he joined the team in his freshman year. Playing at center back, Matese not only is a great asset to defense, but can score as well.

Growing up, Matese was inspired by his mother playing sports and found an interest in various sports at an early age.

“I tried a few other sports [other than soccer] growing up, like basketball, but never really continued to play them as I got older,” said Matese. “My mom played a bunch of sports... but I picked the only sport she didn’t play.”

At PHS and club level, Nick’s talent for the sport was quickly picked up by his coaches, who took him under their wing, and helped him grow as a player and as a person. For Nick, he couldn’t be more grateful for their help.

“I’ve been really lucky to have great coaches throughout all my time playing soccer. The coaches I’ve been with... have all noticed parts of our team's game that need work, and [they’ve helped] us improve,” said Matese. “Beyond that, our coaches create a team environment that inspires hard work and allows teammates to support each other.”

Matese has had many accomplishments in his time playing high school soccer. Last season, he was able to score 3 goals even as a center back, an accomplishment that he takes pride in. Along with a successful season for the High school, Matese and his club team became under-16 national champions, winning the presidents cup.

As Matese prepares to leave high school, he also leaves a lot of positive impressions from the people that he's trained and played with.

“I'll always enjoy spending time with Nick because he is the most dedicated guy I know and a great guy to joke around with,” said Chao. “Therefore it’s a pleasure being able to practice alongside a talented player like him.”

Matese’s leadership has allowed him to bring the whole team together. He is able to show leadership skills on and off the field and is someone who leads by example.

“His leadership is often a calming presence for many, especially during intense games,” said Chao. “Overall, he’s just a great guy and a great leader whom we can rely on. ''

As team captain, Nick was the eyes and ears for his coaches on the field. Ryan Walsh, the head coach of the PHS Boys Varsity Soccer, also reflects appreciation for Matese’s leadership.

Although Matese’s high school soccer career is coming to an end, he has made many memories with his teammates that he can cherish. One of his most memorable things he remembers is scoring a goal against Notre Dame.

During his junior year, he had to sit out for half of the season due to an injury on his medial collateral ligament, a section of his inner knee..

“It was rough for the team because I felt like I was a strong part of our success early in the season,” Matese said. “I tried to be as supportive of the team as possible while I was unable to play.”

Recently, Matese announced that he committed to the Swarthmore College men’s soccer team. While the commitment process was difficult for him at first, he’s glad about the end result “Honestly [playing for Swarthmore College is] a dream come true, to be able to play soccer at a great school,” said Matese. “I’m looking forward to the challenge of playing at the next level.”

For anyone thinking of playing soccer in the future, Nick has some inspiring words about continuing to improve yourself.

“Find friends to train with, and play as much as possible with people better than you. Find your weaknesses and make them your strengths,” said Matese.