Grace Petrossians is a senior at Glendale High School, and she is a part of CSF and NHS, two of our most prestigious clubs here at GHS. She is also vice president of the Letters for Rose Club and the publicist for the Girls Athletic Association Club, Make a Wish Club, and the Creative Writing Club. Grace is also one of the captains of our girls varsity soccer team.

How did you first get involved in soccer?

I first got involved with soccer from a very young age, because of my brother and my dad, and I’ve been playing for many years now on and off. But recently, ever since I came to high school, I started playing my sophomore year for my school team. But throughout my whole life, I’ve always played soccer.

What about soccer interested you when you first started playing?

When I first started playing, I guess [I just enjoyed] being a part of a team and playing the sport that I love. Just everything about it makes playing enjoyable and the people you meet along the way. 

What made you want to join the team at GHS?

I wanted to touch back into the sport, and I knew I had really close seniors that played. It would be a good experience to take advice from them when they graduated, so when I continued to be on the team, I could help be a leader too, just like them. So I guess, the people and just the love for the sport [made me want to join the team].

What usually happens during soccer games? 

Usually, my co-captains and I lead the team before the game, warming up and getting everything ready and settled, and then [we are] always providing words of encouragement, and just helping be a leader for people who might be nervous about the game and getting everybody ready to play our best.

What’s it like competing as a Nitro?

Sometimes it can be difficult. We go against pretty good teams, but regardless of us winning or losing, the connection that we have on the team is the most important thing. 

What are some challenges you and your teammates have faced?

Throughout the years, our team’s winning record hasn’t always been the best. My sophomore year, it was pretty good, but my junior year was a bit more difficult. So I think that’s a really big challenge, because it takes a huge mental toll on you losing a lot of the games in your season. But even though we have those challenges, we all learn to grow from it and just make ourselves better and put more effort during practice, so that we can work harder and be better at our next game.

What’s your favorite part of being part of the team?

My favorite part of being part of the team is probably the people there. I love seeing all my teammates. And also a big thing is staying active.

How will joining the girls soccer team benefit other GHS students who might be interested?

I would say joining the team gives you opportunities to meet new people that you may have never known before. Before I joined soccer, a lot of these girls on the team, I didn’t even know who they were, and then now we’re all super close and we’ve created great friendships. And it’s just a great way to be more involved in your school, too. Regardless if you do soccer or anything else, you should definitely join a sport. 

Grace is a great captain and a great friend to all of her teammates. She believes in her them, and she encourages them to try their best at every game. She knows that when she and her co-captains leave GHS, the team will be in good hands. 

You can follow the Glendale girls soccer team on Instagram: @nitrosgirlssoccer! Keep your eyes on the goal, Nitros!