Tucker Norton is an individual who really takes pride in the intellectual elements of the sport of soccer. It has certainly been emblematic of his character as a player, leader, and cerebral competitor for the Valley boys’ soccer team who carefully picks his spots to strike.

The left wing player started soccer at a young age and never looked back. He did experiment with baseball, but the pitch always held true to his heart. After being part of a couple regression campaigns for Valley in 2022 and 2023, he has performed admirably as a senior captain in helping the Warriors amass a spectacular 10-4-2 regular season record.

“I love the difficulty of soccer; it is a sport where you really have to put in the time and practice into it, and you really have to think out there. I also like how it brings out the best qualities in me and pushes me to do better every day,” says Tucker. “I think what has helped me is simply practice, giving 100% effort. You have to do your best and be your best for the team.”

Being on the flank of the field, Tucker is intrigued by the solo competition that takes place on the turf–no matter how hairy it may get. He gets to truly express himself with his fancy footwork when it comes to getting the inside edge on opposing defenses.

“I love being able to take a guy on, get the crosses, and then push the ball up to the box to help a guy score,” says Tucker. “I also enjoy the creative freedom to take guys on and beat them in the final third of the field. The competition between myself and the defenders is tough because you have to really outreach, out-think, and out-muscle your opponent. When it comes to deciding when to pass or shoot, I look at the space I have, where the defender is, and what the defender is trying to do. If he is tight against me, I will receive the ball and take the pass option. But I will most likely take the shot if I have space.”

Stepping up as a steward for a squad he holds near and dear to his heart, Tucker explains it is about pushing not only himself to be on top of his game in every instance, but also each and every one of his club colleagues.

“Being captain has gone really well for me. I just try to be a good role model for the team and push everyone to be their best, and push everyone to get the best out of them,” says Tucker. “Hopefully we will go far in states, and then also get into Shorelines with a good seed for that tournament while bringing the team together. We want to play good games and just play the best we can as individuals.”

Tucker has the tools in his mind to also withstand any amount of adversity, either external or internal. He speaks to himself to stay upbeat and keep the faith in his abilities and preparation based on his superb track record.

“I always tell myself to stay positive, do what you know how to do, and know that you are good at what you do,” Tucker says. “I know that If I remember those things and keep going, it will work out in the end. I also know that I have trained for this sport a lot, have worked hard, and I have gotten a lot better. It was tough when I was younger and smaller going up against bigger players, and they would push me off. But now, I just push aside any mistakes.”

Looking at the growth of his physical attributes, Tucker has seen marked improvements across the board. He details now that he can also visualize what he wants to do out there in his arena, and when to attack and when to facilitate.

“I think I have improved a lot on my speed, my crossing of the ball, and making my first touch on the ball,” says Tucker. “My vision of the field has also gotten better with knowing when to take the guy on or shoot the ball while knowing what runs to create.”

Valley boys’ soccer Head Coach Mick Fearon notes that Tucker is someone who is always thinking about ways to bring his game to the next level. From what he has seen, Tucker has developed a new wrinkle in his skill that has strengthened the Warriors’ passing game and overall offense.

“Tucker is the kind of person that leads by example in his work ethic. I have seen him develop his skills with a lot of hard work over his years playing for Valley,” says Fearon. “This past year, he has improved his ability in delivering crosses with his left foot. He is one of the quickest offensive players on the team, which has led to him getting more goals in the season compared to previous seasons.”

Valley and Tucker want to finish off this year of resurgence by re-establishing themselves at the top of the conference and state title conversation. But more paramount, they want to enter that chat while being an open and honest group that truly looks out for each other.

“For the team, we want to finish this year with a winning record, play the best we can, and then go deep in the tournaments and just be positive,” says Tucker. “For myself, I want to just have a lot of goals and assists for the team and contribute to the team in a positive way.”