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Josue De Leon got caught in a numbers game.
The Putnam Science Academy boys’ soccer player has the talent to play on the prep team, that is clear. In fact, he was on the club’s preseason roster. But he’s just 15, and that essentially means he has more time to showcase his game on the bigger stage than some of the older players in the program do.
So De Leon found himself off the prep team and on the varsity team instead, but rather than sulking and feeling sorry for himself, he has thrived and become the unquestioned leader of the team.
“He was here last year and he was one of the youngest ones in the group. He was under the impression he was going to be on the (prep) team. He wanted to be on the (prep) team,” varsity coach Ivan Damulira said recently. “For a little bit, he was questioning being back here. But now, he has stepped up and embraced this as a challenge, and he’s going to train hard and lead and contribute to the well-being and performance of the team.
“He has accepted the role on this team as one of the leaders. He continues to play and work hard no matter the opponent. He motivates others during training and in games. He has really been a positive key player on this team and I am proud.”
For his part, De Leon, who hails from the Dominican Republic, said he wasn’t completely unprepared for the bad news. He knew his age could be a factor, so while he was disappointed when it finally came, he knew he still had a job to do. And that went beyond just scoring goals (though he does have a team-leading nine through eight games).
“Back in my country it is even harder to get an opportunity like what I have here,” De Leon said. “I got lucky coming here, so every day I have to give everything I have for this game I love. It is my passion.
“I just want to give 100 percent on the pitch. I don’t care about scoring goals. I just care about how well I played and what I did to help my team or my teammates get better today. I try to be an example to the others because a lot of them are younger and I want them to be good people and players off and on the pitch.”
De Leon is widely regarded as a terrific teammate and a natural leader. Damulira said having him on the team can only be a positive as he spends time around the younger and newer players in the program. They see how skilled he is and how he trains, but they also see how he carries himself. De Leon isn’t afraid to be vocal, but his is more of a lead-by-example type.
“He’s an incredible teammate. He works hard, has a good mindset, and a positive outlook,” said Abenego Commue, who is in his first year at PSA. “When you make mistakes, you can see how he comes back the right way and keeps playing. So it opened my eyes if I make a mistake, it’s like ‘Oh wow, I don’t have to get down on myself. I can go and fix it.’”
Stephen Nalbandian
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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