Ethan Sassine

Ethan Sassine discusses the instrumental role soccer plays in his life

Senior Ethan Sassine scores the only goal during the Varsity Boys’ soccer match against Clarkston High School on Senior Night.

Photo by Jennifer Xia, Editor-in-Chief

Krystal Wu, Staff Writer

Growing up, some children learn instruments, some explore academics, and some play sports. As they get older, many move on from those activities and learn new ones, but for a select few, including senior Ethan Sassine, these activities become an instrumental part of their lives. Sassine’s parents signed him up for soccer lessons as soon as he could walk, at the young age of two. Now, soccer continues to be his passion and motivation, as well as a sport that will build his future. 

As a freshman in high school, Sassine signed up for Northview’s soccer team and played on the junior varsity team, where he served as the team captain. Sean Morgan, an assistant coach for Northview’s varsity team, recalls how Sassine helped the coaches and his teammates before he was announced as captain. Morgan noticed how even as a new freshman on the JV team, Sassine demonstrated exceptional leadership. 

“Ethan is an on-field leader. He is one of our captains, so whenever we are actually in the game, he motivates, he leads, he communicates,” Morgan said. “Even before the game, at half-time, any time we have a pregame discussion, Ethan has a very present voice.” 

Sassine contributes to strategy discussion, rallies teammates, and makes winning plays as a captain and a teammate. On the field, his leadership is reflected through his position as an aggressive forward, the player who makes the goals, as he follows through and creates winning plays. Throughout his time on Northview’s soccer team, whether it be junior varsity or varsity, Sassine played an important role in the development and growth of his teammates. 

“Ethan is very authoritative on the field,” Kamal Korrappati, Sassine’s teammate and friend, said.“He would run practice and give his heart to the team. I love him for that.”

Korrappati bonded with Sassine over soccer when the two first met in seventh grade. They were both on the junior varsity team as freshmen as well, and Korrappati recalled Sassine’s ability to lead and motivate as a fellow freshman within the team. He found Sassine’s devotion to the sport admirable. While on the soccer team, Korrappati and Sassine played many games together, to which they bonded as soccer teammates and friends. 

“He is a winner and the type of person to take risks. He is hilarious off the field and always mentors the underclassmen. He is my brother,” Korrappati said. 

Sassine and Korrappati are teammates who win together, and they are also friends. In the future, when the two inevitably part ways for college, Korrappati has no intent of completely leaving his teammate and friend behind, and wishes to continue their friendship and love for soccer together. As the two started soccer together their freshman year, Northview provided a place for them to grow as the years went on. When he entered sophomore year, Sassine ended up making the varsity team, where he went toe-to-toe with powerful players at the state playoffs, but in his junior year, he took a break from Northview soccer to focus on his soccer club, the United Futbol Academy. Sassine rejoined the Northview team as a senior, where he took on the responsibility of captain, juggling club soccer and Northview soccer. 

“From Monday to Fridays, I play for an hour and a half with the Northview soccer team, and then I go again for an hour and a half with my club team, UFA,” Sassine said. “On Fridays and Tuesdays, we play games with Northview, and then on the weekends I play games with my club team.”

Despite being a senior preparing for college, Sassine always plays soccer six days of the week, with Sunday being his rest day, because he believes such discipline is necessary to maintain his technical abilities. In order to continue to grow in soccer, practicing almost daily is necessary, and Sassine practices a minimum of three hours daily with games involved. All activities require effort to produce results, and soccer is no different. Not only that, but soccer is also a sport with risks, as injuries are quite common amongst athletes. Sassine’s worst injury was a broken ankle; during that time, he was unable to practice soccer for four months. However, he dedicates large amounts of time and effort to his sport because he plans to be a professional soccer player in the future. Sassine’s talent in the sport landed him an offer from Georgia State, where he recently signed to play soccer. Although he started as a little boy, unaware of what it would mean to him one day, Sassine has realized his passion lies in this sport due to the several years he spent playing it.

“Soccer has given me lots of skills that I use in my daily life, such as being a leader,” Sassine said. “It has made me become a leader, stick up for my friends, and help my friends learn more. I want to work hard, so I can play soccer professionally.”