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11/20/2018 11:00 PMEric LePeak was hoping to get called up to the JV team during his freshman year with the Guilford boys’ soccer program. When he didn’t, Eric knew that he had to dedicate himself to become a better player by working hard throughout the offseason. Eric has been putting in the extra effort ever since, and it paid off in the form of a sensational senior campaign with the Indians’ varsity squad.
Eric scored 16 goals and dished off five assists for Guilford this fall. The senior forward made the All-SCC Quinnipiac Division Team and the All-SCC First Team, in addition to being selected to play in the Connecticut Soccer Coaches Association Senior Bowl. Along the way, he helped the Indians win nine games, while qualifying for both the SCC and Class L State tournaments.
“It’s been a lot of hard work. I didn’t get called up to JV my freshman year, which disappointed me,” says Eric. “I worked my butt off that offseason, and I also have YouTube videos of me and my friends shooting. Two big parts of my success have also been shooting on my own and watching professional players and see how they score.”
Eric is fast on his feet on the pitch. Eric liked using his quickness to take advantage of individual mismatches in order to produce points for the Indians.
“One of my best traits is my speed, so a lot of my goals are in one-on-one matchups with the keeper, where I chip it over them,” Eric says. “I also love scoring goals on volleys, but chipping and scoring on long shots are also nice.”
As a forward, Eric had a lot of pressure on his shoulders when it came to scoring goals for his squad. However, Eric embraced the challenge of outmaneuvering opposing defenders to put himself in position to find the back of the net.
“Forward is a very difficult position to play, because you are playing against team’s center backs, so you have to try and find new ways to get around them,” says Eric, who’s also a member of Guilford’s fencing program. “You have to play a mental game with them to win those one-on-one battles. Your teammates also look for you to run to the ball and finish.”
Eric also had a responsibility to lead the Indians as one of their seniors this season. Eric knew he needed to set a good example for Guilford’s underclassmen, and feels that he grew a lot a result.
“Being a senior leader can be a daunting task at first, because of the pressure of senior year alone,” Eric says. “You’re looked upon to score, which puts you in a leadership spot. You then learn how to thrive under that pressure and be a better role model.”
Interim Head Coach Curtis Gullette says that Eric helped unify the Indians both on and off the turf this year. Along with Eric’s natural soccer skill, Gullette credits his senior forward for his selfless nature and unwavering optimism.
“Eric is dedicated to his team and sport. He comes every day to practice and to games to improve not only his skill and ability, but help everyone on the team,” Gullette says. “His speed is unmatched and his finishing ability is top-notch. He was one of a few players that kept this team going all season long, because of his natural leadership ability. His positive energy and stick-to-it attitude were wonderful.”
Guilford had to deal with some adversity after longtime coach Joe Maher resigned in the middle of the year. It meant a lot to Eric that the Indians were able to clear that hurdle by finishing the regular season on a surge, after which they gave some of the toughest teams in the state everything they could handle during the playoffs.
“After [Maher] stepped down, it put us in a tough spot, but it challenged us to step up to still get something out of this year. It was like a fresh start for us, and overcoming all of that was phenomenal,” Eric says. “We went on a six-game unbeaten streak. We led Xavier in the SCC quarterfinals and had chances against Weston [in the second round of the Class L State Tournament]. Playing those teams that close was a testament to what we accomplished this year.”