An energetic and avid sports lover, senior Ani Mard has played her share of sports, ranging from basketball to volleyball; however, the one she decided to continue is soccer. Mard has even tried her hand at track and ping pong, but she eventually decided that out of all of them, soccer is the most enjoyable. Mard has been playing the sport since she was only six years old and cannot imagine her life without it.

Mard first gained an interest in soccer because her father was also very involved in the sport when he was younger.“We would always play in the house, which I enjoyed so much that I developed a desire to play outside the house,” Mard said. Also, since Mard previously participated in track, she said she enjoyed the fact that running was necessary in playing the sport. In the beginning, Mard’s father taught her how to play the sport and the rules that came with it; however, she soon began to play for the American Youth Soccer Organization and the Los Angeles Football Club.

Even though the experienced soccer player used to play all positions on the field, she has since learned to recognize both her strengths and weaknesses and currently plays the position of stopper, which she says is the base of the defense. Nevertheless, the position of stopper requires agility and speed, as the stopper must help with not only defense, but also offense.

Mard says she cannot get enough of the sport. It provides her with a sense of relief and serves as an escape from the stress that is strained upon her. “What’s there not to like?” she said. “I just feel a lot happier when I play. Soccer is one of those sports that makes me more ambitious than I already am.”