Athletic Man of the Week: Stewart Scott

The Carles Puyol of Big Red boys’ varsity soccer, Stewart Scott has led his team to its fifth consecutive winning season. Scott has risen through the ranks of Exeter soccer, all the while raising up those around him.Like his role model Puyol, Scott, a senior co-captain on Big Red, plays mainly center back, but also occasionally plays the flanks and even up the field as defensive midfielder.Scott started playing soccer in third grade when he discovered that the sport was a perfect fit for his exceptional speed and agility. “I loved soccer as soon as I tried it out, which was an anomaly for me because I did not like any other sport,” Scott said. “I found my pace and strength helping a lot, even as a third grader, and sought to advance these traits.”After three years of playing on a small club team, in sixth grade, Scott was chosen for one of the nation’s premier youth soccer programs at Asphalt Green in New York City. He played for the Green Wave U12, U13, U14 and U15 teams. At Asphalt Green, Scott was one of the leading defenders and a role model of his teammates.“It would not be an exaggeration to say that Stewart was one of the hardest working players on the Asphalt Green team,” Jake Millman, Scott’s former teammate at Asphalt Green, said. “Especially in sixth and seventh grades when not many of us were that dedicated, Stew gave his all in every single game and every single practice.”When Scott came to Exeter as a new lower, he led the struggling JV team to its best season in five years. Throughout his first season, coaches noticed his defensive ability and selected him to play for varsity the following year. With a roster including twelve seniors and postgraduates, Scott did not get much playing time his upper year.“It’s all part of playing a team sport; when there are people better than you, you need to understand that you will be sitting on the bench more than you will be running on the field,” Scott said. “And, although I knew that I would not be playing a lot, I still tried to give my whole effort and concentration during practices and even during the few minutes I was on the field.”Coaches said that Scott’s extraordinary dedication won him the well-deserved spot as captain of the varsity team his senior year. “Although Stew did not play much upper year, he practiced harder than anyone, led by example, and earned the respect of his teammates,” Coach AJ Cosgrove said. “He was selected as captain for this year based on those qualities. Stew gave it his all every minute he was on the field this season. As a coach, you can't ask for much more.”Scott’s teammates also admire their captain. “Stew is one of the hardest working guys I've met here. He puts in double the effort and leads by example,” lower Matt Asante said. “His work ethic definitely inspires us, his teammates, to work our hardest. I don't think I've met anyone here who puts in the amount of effort that Stew does, and that's what makes him a special captain and a special person.”Scott believes that his best traits as a soccer player are speed, strength, and tackling. “I just run fast, hit the ball hard, and defend well. Since I’m not very good at technical skills, I focus on sharpening my physical skills of the game,” Scott said. “Even during soccer offseason, I run mid-distance in track mainly to train for soccer. Also because center backs are not normally fast, speed is a big part of my game and opponents have difficulty adjusting to a quick center back.”Scott’s fellow senior co-captain Henry Stevens praised Scott’s performance and aggressiveness on the field. “Stew is an absolute savage. He puts the team on his back and just murders kids as he goes down the field,” Stevens said. “He's a great captain because people respect him and know not to mess with Stew because he's just a beast of a man.”Although Scott was out for the beginning weeks of the season due to a hamstring injury, he fought through the pain and joined the team earlier than expected. “The injury prevented me from playing for the first few weeks of the season. But even after days of rehab, it didn’t get better soon enough, so I got through it with some painkillers,” Scott said. “I knew that the team needed me as a captain and defenseman on the field, so I think it was a good decision benefited the whole team even though it was a bit difficult for me.”Coach John Hutchins lauded Scott’s dedication to the team. “I would characterize Stewart as one of the hardest working players on the team. He can be counted on to give 100% of his effort very minute he is on the field. This work ethic also defines him as a captain; he leads by example,” Hutchins said. “I have enjoyed getting to know Stewart for the three years he's been a part of the soccer program and for the two years he's been on the varsity team.”Scott said that soccer has played an integral role in his life. “Soccer has always been a good outlet for me. Life at Exeter can be quite tough, but when I am out there playing soccer with my teammates, there’s nothing I would trade that for,” Scott said. “Soccer is always fun, and the team means everything to me. I mean, it’s my team; what else would you expect?”