Abraham Leyva (left) with select soccer teammate Dawson d’Almeida. (Dan d’Almeida photo)
You lose one, you gain one.
When Jeremy Copenhaver was plucked away from the Coupeville High School boys’ soccer squad by a family move cross-country, it took a goal-scoring threat away from the Wolves.
But, just maybe, sophomore Abraham Leyva will be able to step in and provide that same sort of spark.
The top scorer on his select soccer team, Washington Rush, where he plays along side Wolf teammate Zane Bundy, he netted eight goals in 14 games.
Now he hopes to make an impact on the pitch for CHS this spring.
“My goals are to get as many goals and assists as I can, so I can make first or second team,” Leyva said. “I enjoy the sensation of scoring goals, humiliating players by beating them and getting assists.”
While he has a great deal of confidence in his skill (“The areas I feel comfortable with are my dribbling, my speed, my passing and crossing”), he still works hard at the game.
“I need to work on my shots, finishing and heading,” Leyva said. “I work on that a lot with my dad.”
It was his father who first brought him to the beautiful game, signing him up for a soccer team at age four, when they were living in Mexico. 12 years later, Leyva is still going strong, and can still turn to his dad for advice and help.
“My dad has the biggest impact on me,” Leyva said. “He helps me improve so I can become one of the best and maybe even go pro.
“If it weren’t for him pushing me to be better, I would have not had the same level of skill as I have now.”
During his time on the soccer pitch, Leyva has bounced all over, playing multiple positions.
He started as a defender, “then, like all kids, wanted to score goals” and moved up to forward. Now he generally operates as a midfielder, working the right side of the field, where he can use his speed and dribbling skills to blast by people.
The speed is honed by working out, while his reflexes are sharpened in a different way.
“I run to stay in shape and play video games like every other teenage dude!”
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