Rene Chung: Leader  

We are excited to announce that the Parkland Soccer Club will be recognizing our Exceptional Athletes on a monthly basis.  The Leader of the Exceptional Athlete Series is Rene Chung, who is exceptional herself.  Rene has a Heart of Gold....she is kind, understanding, supportive and giving.  Rene is perfect for this leadership role and excited to highlight our amazing players.....If you see Rene at the park in search of the next Exceptional Athlete, please let her know.  Emails of recognition can be sent by anyone to rlcsoccermanagement@gmail.com.

Sumisssion Information

Name:

Team:

1. How long has your athlete been playing soccer?  How long with PSC?

2. What makes your athlete exceptional? (Bragging encouraged😁)

3. Please list Honors and awards.

4. Please add any additional info....

Please send soccer photo as well as any other photos of your athlete relevant to submission.

Congratulations to Shadi Buchanan, PSC’s Exceptional Athlete for October 2020.

Shadi is a kind hearted, brilliant player who excels both on and off the field.  He currently plays with the championship winning 2004 Boys Red Team.  Under the leadership of Coach Tony Davidson, the team won the 2020 Weston Cup and placed 2nd in The Florida National Premier League (NPL) last season.  The team’s accomplishments have earned them a spot to compete in the Elite Clubs National League (ECNL-R) this upcoming season.

Shadi began his soccer career at the tender age of 3.  He has been playing travel soccer in the city of Parkland since he was 7.  He is well known for his infectious personality and his relentless pursuit on the pitch.  Coach Tony describes Shadi as “a quiet, smart, technical player that will surprise you with his play on the field.”  He is fast, hard working, and consistently creates opportunities for his team.   As a wing back, his physical stamina, tactical ability, and sheer determination allows him to pose a constant threat both offensively and defensively.  In addition, he is always encouraging, leads by example, and does so  with a smile on his face.

Academically, Shadi is a star.  He recently began his Sophomore year at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and maintains a 4.85 GPA!  He is  ranked number 5 in his class of 812 students.  He is a math whiz and is currently enrolled in AP Calculus as well as 3 other AP classes, including AP Chemistry.  In March, he competed on the state level as a member of MSD’s DECA, a National club that develops students in the areas of business and leadership.  To further highlight his outstanding academics, as a Freshman, Shadi wrote an introspective poem that took first place in the State Literary Fair.  Well done Shadi!

Shadi is also well known for his ability to bring enthusiasm and fun to the pitch.  As a Freshman, he made the MSD Varsity team and scored an amazing backflip penalty kick during a very exciting home game.  The video of this incredible goal went viral, has almost 2 million views on Instagram, and was rumored to have made an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter!  We are incredibly proud of all of Shadi’s remarkable achievements and we look forward to seeing more great things from this Exceptional PSC Athlete.  Keep up the great work Shadi!

Exceptional Athlete | Maxwell Weston | 2002 Boys Team

AUGUST 2020....This month's player spotlight... Maxwell Weston, 2002 Boys Team

Age: 17

Other than soccer, what are some other activities you enjoy participating in?
Basketball, Volleyball, and Finance

What is your favorite thing about playing soccer?
My favorite thing about playing soccer is every aspect of it involves some level of thinking and strategy.  There are lots of unknowns when facing an opposing team, successfully countering these unknowns and winning the match is a great feeling.

If you could meet any professional soccer player, who would it be and why?
Lionel Messi because no matter the odds he did not let go of his dream and he kept on working until his dreams became a reality.

What goals are you working towards now?
Currently, I'm working on getting into college, whether that's through academics or soccer I do not know, but I intend on going to a school of high caliber.

If you had to describe what type of player you are with one word, what would it be?
If I had to describe myself as a player in one word I would say fearless.

What is your highlight as a PSC Player?
My highlight as a PSC player would be the amount of friends I gained and how much I've improved as a person because of PSC.

Exceptional Athlete | Nicolás Parra | 2005 Boys Red Team

Meet 2005 Boys Red Center Midfielder Nicolás Parra. Nicolás has made his mark as an exceptional student athlete and leader both on and off the field. Besides being an outstanding midfielder and asset to his team, Nicolás is a brilliant scholar and straight “A” student at Pine Crest School. Throughout Middle School, Nicolás served as President of The Beta Club, an honor society for specially selected students who maintain an average of 92% or above and uphold the highest standards in character and community service. In addition, Nicolás participated on the national level representing Pine Crest as a member of an award winning Robotics Team. He attributes all of his success to his faith in God and demonstrates qualities that inspire others to dream big and work hard. We are so very proud to name Nicolás Parra Parkland Travel Soccer Club’s Exceptional Athlete of the Month...

Exceptional Athlete | Josh Lieberman | 2007 Boys Red Team

PSC is proud to announce 2007 Boys Red Team Defender, Josh Lieberman as one of our Exceptional Athlete for the month of November.

Josh is currently in his second year at PSC after playing recreational soccer for 2 years. He played one year on the 2007 Boys White team and rapidly progressed to earn a spot on the highly competitive 2007 Boys Red team. His determination and discipline have served him well both on and off the soccer field.

In addition to being an excellent soccer player, Josh has also been involved in competitive golf since the age of 5. His golf achievements are numerous and equally impressive. On the golf circuit, Josh has qualified for World Championships annually since 2015. He has also won several first place titles and played many in and out of state tournaments with U.S. Kid’s Golf, PGA, and other highly esteemed golf organizations. Most recently he represented West Glades Middle School in the MSAA Golf tournament where the team brought home 1st Place!

Additionally, Josh is a straight “A” student with a heart for helping those in need. He and his family regularly volunteer and promote participation in athletics for people with disabilities through the Special Olympics.

“Learning to help athletes with special needs play in sports and to watch them compete in sports for their love of the game and see they are happy no matter what award they win, has taught me a lot about people with disabilities and how to be kind to all people.”
~ Josh Lieberman

We are so proud to honor Josh and celebrate his various achievements. He is truly an exceptional student athlete. Way to go Josh!!!

Exceptional Athlete | Gabriel Gersberg | 2003 Boys Red

Gabriel has been playing organized soccer since he was 4 years old. He is currently part of the U17 Red Team and has been with Parkland for 4 years. Prior to joining Parkland Gabriel played for SAT as well as Weston and had the opportunity to represent Team USA in Morocco for the Danone Nations World Cup.

This year in July Gabriel’s world was rocked when he was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. He approached his diagnosis like everything else in his life with determination, grit and strength. Approximately 1 week after diagnosis he was back on the Soccer field and Capoeira mat. He was not going to let T1D define him, he was going to live his life on his terms!

Gabriel’s first passion is definitely soccer but he has also trained in Capoeira (Brazilian Martial Arts) since he was 3 years old. His training has taught him disciple for the art as well as preparing him to be a mentor to younger students.

Gabriel is a Sophomore at Stoneman Douglas where he takes AP and Honors classes and maintains a GPA of 4.4.  He is looking forward to his second year on the Varsity soccer team. As a Freshman Gabriel was presented with the Best New Comer Award by his coach.

Leadership and community involvement are very important to Gabriel. He had the honor to be part of the Coral Springs Police Explorers. As part of the Explorers he was able to participate in many events within the city allowing him to develop his leadership skills. Volunteering his services for Heroes at Home, where he works at Veterans homes helping to improve the current homes condition.

This year Gabriel will be participating as a mentor for Diabetes camp where he will share his story and help younger Diabetics that may be struggling with their diagnosis.
The future looks bright for Gabriel who has proven to be a true Warrior on the field and in life.

💙 November is Diabetes Awareness Month💙  Type 1 Diabetice, like Gabe, also teach us less tangible, more lifelong lessons, like how to be brave, how to persevere, and how to appreciate.