Senior Logan Oyama has been awarded the Washington State Gatorade Player of the Year. Oyama has been playing soccer since he was three-years-old.
“When I was little my parents wanted me to try all the sports. I started with soccer, basketball, baseball and played for awhile but soccer was really the one that stuck,” Oyama said.
When coming in contact with Gatorade it was Matt White, Oyama’s coach, that decided to nominate him, along with teachers that gave letters of recommendation.
“Since this award is so much more than just an athletic award, it also has to do with your involvement in the community and how you are doing in school with your academics. It has really encouraged me to continue with my athletic career but also to strive for success in other areas of my life and to be a role model,” Oyama said.
Oyama has been playing for PHS since he was a freshman and says some of his favorite things about the team are the camaraderie and the relationships he has made.
“I’ve been playing with some of them since I was like 10; some of them are friends from school and then some I meet as I go. I think it’s really amazing that we can all come together and share the wins and loses together,” Oyama said.
Oyama hopes to have a repeat of last season, this year, especially since it’s his senior year.
“This year I believe that we have a very strong, even stronger team as we did last year, and to continue to work hard,” Oyama said.
PHS isn’t the only soccer team Oyama is apart of. He plays club during the offseason. He is a part of Washington Premier, participating in tournaments and gaining exposure. Oyama is playing soccer all year round.
“[It] really helps playing against some of the top teams in the state and to get some good exposure for the high school season,” Oyama said.
Oyama’s planning on playing soccer in college and has verbally committed Princeton University. When it came to choosing where to attend in the fall, Oyama’s parents were a big help.
“My parents have been my biggest support. For the first 16 years of my life they were traveling across the country with me going to tournaments and really supported me when it came to choosing which college I wanted to attend, they have been a huge factor in my decision making and my success as a soccer player,” Oyama said.
Oyama is one of the captains and holds a lot of responsibility and support for his team. During Oyama’s sophomore season he was injured, so he really learned how to support with his voice and just cheering his teammates on.
“The ways I feel like I support my team on the field I like to lead by example and just doing the right thing and work hard at practice and at games. I hope that others will follow my lead,” Oyama said.
