When La Jolla Country Day School junior Hannah Eftekhari was 6 years old, her parents put a soccer ball at her feet. From that moment on, she worked to develop skills at every position and built her strengths as much as she targeted her weaknesses.
Her effort to become a well-rounded player has served her well with the Country Day Torreys, for whom she plays center midfielder, a position considered to be the link between offense and defense.
“It’s like every position in one,” Hannah said. “You have to defend and attack, especially during transitions. You have to think ahead and see the whole field — what’s in front of you and behind you. The center mid[fielder] has to be very versatile and be the playmaker.”
The Torreys won the Silver Division title in the San Diego Holiday Jubilee Tournament in December. Hannah scored three goals in the final round, leading a 4-0 win over Clairemont. She scored a total of nine goals in the four tournament games.
“We had played Clairemont before the finals [a 1-1 tie], so I got a taste of what they are like and made adjustments,” Hannah said. “My mindset and the team’s mindset was that we really wanted to win. That’s why we worked so hard. There was phenomenal energy on the field; everyone was working really hard. I don’t think I’ve seen us work that hard in a long time. We communicated well, and even when we scored the fourth goal, we were still super excited.”
Outside the tournament, Hannah scored 13 goals in the first seven games of the season.
“I had to do a lot of extra work to get to where I wanted to be,” she said. But in doing so, she found a community that motivated her to keep working.
“The soccer community is really big and everyone knows everyone,” Hannah said. “But you have so much freedom with soccer. No matter what, you are not going to play the same or be the same as other players on the team or players you compete against.
“I also appreciate being able to learn life lessons. ... I learned to be versatile and take criticism. It made me a stronger person overall. My mindset has improved a lot by playing soccer.”
This year’s team is like a sisterhood, spending time together on and off the field, Hannah added. “No one puts each other down or yells at each other,” she said. “There is always a lot of support.”
Outside of soccer, Hannah enjoys bike riding with her friends — “especially at night, for some reason,” she said with a laugh. She also likes trying new foods at local restaurants.
“I learned to be versatile and take criticism [by playing soccer]. It made me a stronger person overall. My mindset has improved a lot.”
— Hannah Eftekhari
Hannah was born in Ohio and she and her family moved to Scripps Ranch when she was 3. They have lived there ever since.
For would-be soccer players who are just getting started, Hannah suggested finding “something you are good at with soccer and keep working on it. That will make you 10 times better than you could imagine. But also work on your weaknesses as much as your strengths. That sets you apart.”
Hannah has committed to play soccer in college but said she can’t disclose which one until she receives her acceptance letter from the admissions office.
La Jolla Athlete of the Week features athletes from all sports in high school (La Jolla High, The Bishop’s School, La Jolla Country Day School) and other local youth sports. We’re looking not only for the stars of competition but also for student-athletes who set an example for teamwork, academic achievement and/or community involvement. Please email your nominations, and a way to reach your nominees, to Editor Rob Vardon at robert.vardon@lajollalight.com. ◆