What is your name and grade level? My name is Trey Zakeri and I am a Senior
Who is your biggest inspiration when it comes to soccer and why? If we are talking about professional soccer players, it has to be Thierry Henry. I’ve only seen him play live once, during the end of his career, and I don’t really remember it, but man, he is on another level. I watch a lot of his interviews and his talking and media and every time he can explain things that just make sense, he could probably explain neuroscience and I would understand. His brain is just always on another level, and he really follows through with the When Thierry talks, you listen.
Non-professional player, it has to be my brother. He just inspires me. His work ethic is greater than mine. He gets up early and stays out later. He plays for so many different levels and teams. He gives me advice and he lets me know what to do. He is just everything when it comes to soccer. When we train, he will tailor it to me, and stuff I need to do. He’s not necessarily a better player or anything, but it’s just everything he does, it reminds me that I’m not just playing for myself every time I step onto the field, I am playing for him too.
What motivates you to continue playing when it gets difficult? There are a lot of different motivations I guess, but it really is just one thing. When I feel like I don’t want to play, when I don’t want to train, when I have to get up at 4:30 in the morning to go train and then have a game later that day, I just remind myself that I love this game. What would I rather spend my time doing? Nothing, the answer is always nothing because playing is my motivation for everything else. I love the game, and love is always the biggest motivator.
What do you like to do outside of soccer? My favorite things to do are to listen to music, walk my dog and just chill out. I don’t really have a set thing to do, but I like doing different things randomly. One day I will do a puzzle, one day I’ll play chess, one day read a book, one day bike through the forest, I just like having free time, and having my free time really be me time.
What is your favorite soccer team and why? Arsenal. They are my favorite team because they just are. There is a nickname for us, Vibes FC and it really is just that. All of the players love playing for Arsenal, all of the fans love Arsenal more than themselves, and it’s just a real team. There’s a joke that people say, “Arsenal fans have no life outside of Arsenal ” and it’s so true, but it’s also a great community. Some of my best friends are arsenal fans, or appreciators. It’s so hard to describe, but Arsenal is just THAT club.
What is your favorite subject in school? My favorite subject is history. I don’t know how to explain it but I just get so happy when I am learning new things, and if you have ever been in a history class with me, you know what I mean.
If you could have any superpower what would it be and why? I would like to be able to fly. Being able to go up so high and not be afraid of falling, or even falling really fast and controlled would be super fun. Just flying and being weightless would be like an adrenaline rush every time I did it.
What would you say is your biggest accomplishment? I guess being able to be where I am. I never saw myself actually being where I am. I am just really proud of how far I have come, academically, physically, athletically, so much so that being where I am is my accomplishment.
What is your goal in the next 10 years? My biggest goal is to be playing/coaching professional soccer. It’s all I’ve ever wanted, and what I still strive for.
How does it feel to captain the varsity soccer team? I feel like it’s in my nature, I’ve always been that guy to motivate, to energize, to compete, and I feel like it’s more of a thing that I wear to show others, than something that I internalize and make a part of me. The captain’s band is just another thing I wear on game days, and being a captain is just a title, but everything that comes with being a captain, I already feel like I embody and show that day in day out.
