By Blake Chadwick
For Jennifer Nguyen, leadership and hard work have become defining parts of her senior season with the Salina South girls soccer program.
“Some of my biggest strengths are my work ethic and competitiveness,” Nguyen said. “I constantly work hard to see the team succeed.”
Those traits have helped shape the identity of the Salina South team this season. According to Nguyen, one of the Cougars’ biggest strengths is the chemistry shared among teammates.
“Our biggest strength is our chemistry,” Nguyen said. “We support and trust each other, even during intense games.”
Nguyen has been playing soccer since her freshman year and has steadily developed both her skills and understanding of the game during that time. Her mindset centers on consistent improvement and carrying the effort from practice into competition.
“My mindset when playing and practicing is to always improve and compete,” Nguyen said. “The effort you put into practice translates directly into games.”
During matches, she focuses on staying composed and avoiding letting pressure affect her performance.
“I try to stay focused and composed during games because getting too nervous doesn’t help you perform at your best,” Nguyen said.
Salina South head coach Trey Crow says Nguyen’s athletic ability and mindset have made her a key contributor to the program.
“For her size she is maybe the strongest athlete at our school pound for pound,” Crow said. “She is quick and smart on the field and rarely makes a mistake she doesn’t make up for immediately. She leads by example and will do whatever is asked of her by her coach and team. She is a great example of a team player.”
