By Elizabeth Contreras
VYPE: What grade are you in, and how did your soccer journey begin?
Mason Peeper: I am a senior at Stillwater High School, and I started playing rec league soccer when I was about 4 years old.
VYPE: What position do you play?
MP: I am a goalie. I started playing goalie when I was little because it seemed easier, and over time I have realized that although I don’t run as much, it is definitely just as challenging as any other position on the field.
VYPE: When the game is on the line, what do you trust most about yourself as a player?
MP: I think that the thing I trust the most about myself as a player is the work I have put in and the confidence that it brings me.
VYPE: What part of your game has improved the most since last season, and what did it take to get there?
MP: The part of my game that has improved the most since last year is definitely the mental aspect of it. I have learned to trust in myself and my team much more, and that also helps to give me confidence as a player.
VYPE: How do you respond internally after a mistake?
MP: I take accountability for the mistake that was made and then try to learn from it and move past it.
VYPE: How do you balance individual expectations with doing what’s best for the team?
MP: I always try to play my best for the team and if I can do that then I have met my own individual expectations.
VYPE: What role do your teammates and coaches play in pushing you to be better every day?
MP: They remind me that it is not just myself that I play for and work for but that others are relying on the work I put in as well.
VYPE: What have the toughest matches taught you that easy wins never could?
MP: The biggest lesson that I have learned from those tough matches is the importance of moving past mistakes.
VYPE: What responsibility do you feel to set the tone on and off the field?
MP: As a captain and a senior, I feel like it is important for me to lead by example.
