When Priscilla Yu notices a homeless person asking for money, she reaches into the back of her car and gives a pack of food instead. The senior has a giving heart and it shows on the pitch as the Highlanders goalkeeper and co-captain. If it’s not the homeless, it’s reading to children or adults at the , or showing new players the ropes of the game.
Her talent to deflect soccer balls away from her palace earned her Seamount League co-player of the year and all-state honorable mention last year. Yu didn’t choose to be a goalie, but a midfielder. During a tryout for a select soccer club she took the goalie position only to help the teammates shoot the ball to warm-up. After tryouts the coaches placed her as a midfielder and back-up goalie.
“With additional goalie training I ended up getting the hang of it and made the decision to just be a goalie after a couple years,” Yu said. “I love when I save a ball, the crowd cheers; the glory of that moment is like any World Cup game.”
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She also credits her defenders for catching any mistakes she may make or vice versus.
Her positive attitude and admiration caught the eye of Hazen soccer coach Ken Matthews by naming Yu to a co-captain position.
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“It’s my first time ever naming a goalkeeper to be a team captain,” Matthews said. “She’s one heck of a goal keeper, makes sure everyone on the team is comfortable and apart of the group."
Matthews’ philosophy for his team “is to make sure all the girls are involved, be good citizens, have good academics and be the best athletes they can be. Yu is each one of these with a 3.98 GPA, while enrolled in four AP classes, is Hazen's ASB Secretary and is currently planning homecoming in late October
During a recent interview with the , she was asked what her hobbies were; she said “I have no hobbies.” Instead she volunteers in the community especially during the summer at playing with children whose mothers are in transitional housing, her church for vacation bible school, reading to children and adults at the Fairwood Library, swimming lessons at the Hazen Pool or raising money for World Vision during her 30-hour famine.
Yu knows how important a mentor is for children.
“Growing up I would go to school and do homework. I needed to change how I lived my life away from living with my mother and siblings to my father and mother-in-law,” she said. “My father changed his life by going back to school and taking a job he loves for less money.”
The change awoke Yu to many new opportunities including college and her future.
“My 20-year plan is to attend Wellesley College just outside of Boston to study medicine with hopes of becoming a primary care physician. The college also neighbors Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and will be able to take courses there as well,” she said. “It’s the best of both worlds."
Once school is complete, Yu said, she's always wanted to see where the money she's raised goes, and the effect is has.
“It’s pretty cool to see what a dollar can do, it’s more real by being there and doing something.” But she admits, “You don’t have to go to another country to help people. If everyone started a foundation, not much would get accomplished.”
FAVORITES:
Food – Coffee (any kind) but loves to taste the different roasts
Color – yellow
Movie – Serendipity
Subject in school – Math and Science
Last book read – The Pillars of the Earth
Music – Country Pop
Number – One
Idolize – Father (Michael Yu)
BY THE NUMBERS
Freshman no stats available
Sophomore Games 19, shots on goal 165, saves 151 (92%), goals allowed on average 2.10
Junior Games 17, shots on goal 150, saves 144 (96%), goals allowed on average 1.00
Senior Games 5, shots on goal 25, saves 22 (88%), goals allowed on average 0.75
Total Games 41, shots on goal 340, saves 317 (93%), goals allowed on average 1.56
23 wins, 12 losses, 6 draws and has 5 saves out of 8 on penalty kicks.
