As the sun sets and casts a glow on Skyline Field, senior Sydney Freese sprints across the pitch, her eyes scanning the opposing team’s players with the focus and determination of a seasoned athlete. The team knows they are in good hands with her tranquil and poised approach forward.
A captain of girls varsity soccer, Freese has committed to continue her athletic career and play Division III soccer at New York University (NYU). According to her coach and teammates, her calm demeanor and work ethic have contributed to both her individual success in the sport and the large impact she has made on the team.
Freese moved to Brookline when she was four and developed an early love for soccer after watching her sister play for a few years. She started out playing at the Viking Sports camp, then moved into recreation soccer and eventually joined travel and club teams.
“The soccer community was the best way that we integrated into the Brookline community and this new life here. The community has brought me so many memories and great people, and I’m honestly so grateful for it,” Freese said.
Freese has played on varsity since her freshman year and was named a captain as both a junior and senior. Freese said one of the most important aspects of being captain is creating a positive atmosphere for the team.
“When you’re a freshman, you’re following everyone else’s lead, which is really fun,” Freese said. “When you’re older, you’re the one creating the culture and setting the tone, and it’s cool because when you get to experience that when you’re younger, you want to keep up the great culture.”
Babette Hall, a senior and teammate of Freese’s, said Freese’s composure and collected nature make her an invaluable captain and athlete.
“Both outside and inside of soccer, she’s really calm. She’s also such a unique player, in the sense that she’s so fast but still so graceful,” Hall said. “She’s great at bringing everything into perspective and really hunkers down on staying positive. It has a huge impact on our team. When things go wrong, she is a source of calm through the storm.”
According to Brookline Youth Soccer coach Chan MacVeagh, who has coached Freese on and off since 3rd grade, one of her greatest strengths is her humility.
“She doesn’t realize how incredibly good she is. She’s never been that diva or that narcissist. She’s always been there to be a part of the team. Her modesty is admirable,” MacVeagh said. “She’s also very hardworking, in a behind-the-scenes sort of way. One of the things that often tells you how successful someone is going to be is how hard they work when no one’s looking. She’s always been that person.”
Freese’s recruitment journey began around the beginning of her junior year. She visited different schools, met their players and tried to get a feel for each school. Freese said she fell in love with NYU immediately during her first visit there.
“There’s so much opportunity. Everywhere you look, there is so much going on and it was so cool when I visited,” Freese said. “I’m so excited for all the new experiences because it’s such a diverse campus, and also to meet all the cool people with cool backgrounds.”
MacVeagh said an important factor of selecting a school is making sure it’s the right fit for areas beyond athletics.
“I always knew she was going to play wherever she wanted. I remember I was so pleased to hear that she chose NYU and that she chose it because she loved the school and that playing soccer there was going to be an addition and a benefit,” MacVeagh said.
According to Hall, the team was elated to hear the news of Freese’s commitment.
“When I heard about it, I remember it was just pure excitement. She has earned this, she has worked so hard for this and it’s all paying off now and it’s showing,” Hall said. “I can see her future in New York; I just think she’s going to flourish there. She’s going to do great things, and I can’t wait to see what she does in her life.”
