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10/07/2021 12:00 AMTucker Burr had dreams of playing professional soccer one day after starting with the sport at the pee-wee level. As he got older, Tucker realized that playing professionally might be unattainable, but there were still plenty of other things that he wanted to accomplish on the pitch.
Tucker worked hard to become a starting center midfielder and a senior captain for the Valley Regional boys’ soccer team. After he graduates from Valley, Tucker will continue his soccer career at Colorado College next year.
“When I was little, I always wanted to be professional, but realistically, it clicked it would be more appropriate for collegiate level,” Tucker says. “I definitely knew sophomore year that I wanted to play in college, and I started to reach out to schools.”
While the process of playing a sport at the next level can be daunting, Tucker feels thankful for the support of his Premier soccer team, the Connecticut Rush. Tucker not only was able to compete in regional and national showcases with the Rush, but the organization also helps players by recording games and contacting colleges that they’re interested in.
Tucker was drawn to Colorado College in Colorado Springs for several reasons, including its “beautiful location,” the proximity to good skiing and, of course, the soccer team. Tucker was also intrigued by the unique class schedule in which students take one class for 3 ½ weeks for an “in-depth view of each subject.”
“I reached out to the coaches and invited them to the showcases and then visited over the summer,” says Tucker, who is considering studying economics. “I met a few guys on the team, including a few from Connecticut who I know from playing against, so I know we’ll have a good team out there and that I’ll make some good friends.”
While he’s excited to play in college, Tucker also feels sad about leaving the Valley soccer program after having played with many of his teammates since they were 10. Tucker has high hopes for the season with goals of winning Shoreline and state titles. The Warriors currently have a record of 4-3-1 on the year.
“We have a pretty strong team with pretty experienced players, including many who play year-round,” Tucker says. “[Head Coach Mick Fearon] definitely has high expectations for us, and we’ll carry that out. Winning Shorelines and states has been our goal since we started.”
Tucker is also excited to realize his goal of becoming a senior captain at Valley. Tucker enjoys being a role model for the underclassmen and helping Coach Fearon. Tucker and vice captain Jake Burdick work to communicate with their teammates both on and off the field.
“I feel like I can really get the team going and kids look up to me,” says Tucker, who was named All-State as a junior. “Jake and I are good at picking players up if they’re having a good game or motivating them if they’re down.”
Tucker has his fair share of supporters in his corner. In addition to his Valley teammates, Tucker has strong bonds with his teammates on the CT Rush team, which is ranked in the top 10 nationally. Tucker also feels “very grateful” to his parents, Whitney and Pam, who have fostered his love for soccer and supported him by driving him to practices that were sometimes an hour away.
“They’ve been there for me for everything,” says Tucker, whose family also includes his older sisters Kathryn and Lucy. “My dad used to ski race through college and skiing has been a big part of my family’s life since we were little, so they said they’ll definitely be out visiting me in college.”
As much as Tucker loves soccer, there was a point when he was unsure if he wanted to play the sport in college. While he was exploring his college options, Tucker felt some “issues with burnout and injuries” that made him question moving forward.
However, Tucker found some reassurance from his friend Eddie Kaftan, with whom he worked at Kokomo’s in Old Lyme last summer. Kaftan was a baseball player in college, and Tucker expressed his concerns to him.
“He showed me you can still have fun and play in college and be a normal college student,” Tucker says of Kaftan. “He really motivated me to keep going and go for it. In the end, my love for the sport made me want to keep going.”
While he plays center midfielder for Valley, Tucker is a forward for the CT Rush and will most likely play that position in college. Tucker likes being in middle of the field, where he can pass and distribute the ball to his teammates.
This may be Tucker’s last season on the Valley soccer pitch, but he plans to don a Warriors’ uniform again as a member of the boys’ tennis team this spring. Tucker took up tennis as a junior and played doubles for the varsity squad.
Tucker was a member of the steering committee at Valley for a few years, helping to organize various fundraisers. He has also volunteered at the soup kitchen and is a high honors student who takes Advanced Placement and Level 1 classes.
Right now, Tucker is concentrating on the soccer season and helping the Warriors achieve their goal of claiming the Shoreline Conference crown. Tucker is trying to enjoy all of the moments of his senior year before he moves from Essex to Colorado next fall.
“I’m going to miss the night games and the atmosphere— having a crowd in the student section is my favorite part—and being able to play with the team I’ve been playing with since I was 10,” Tucker says. “Being part of a team is something special, especially if you can accomplish some great things. I’m definitely a little sad to say good-bye to Valley soccer and Valley as a whole, but I want to go out with a Shoreline Conference championship in my last year. I’ll miss my friends, my teammates, my parents, and being familiar with the place, but it’s good to go somewhere new.”