A local legend: Ayala soccer player Abby Bassett’s year-round soccer life
CHINO HILLS, Calif. — To kick off 2024, we are excited to feature Ayala High School girls’ varsity soccer captain Abby Bassett. The senior center back is thrilled to share her lifelong love of her favorite sport.
“I have been playing soccer since I was 5 years old and I fall in love with this sport more and more every day. Soccer is not just the sport I play; it is a lifestyle. Hard work and discipline are drilled into my brain at every practice and every game. Thanks to soccer, I can transfer my hard work and dedication to my school, my job, my family and my friends.”
Abby grew up in the city of Chino with her dad, Steve, her mom, Colleen, and her two older sisters Shelby and Katie. The Bassetts also have an adorable yellow lab named Bailey.
She plays year-round for her club team, Legends FC, a part of the Elite Club National League (ECNL), and is on her way to earning her third varsity letter at Ayala.
Serving as a captain for both teams, Abby has also earned the all-CIF Southern Section honor award, the MVP Coach’s Award, and was recognized as a scholar athlete. She was also named first team all-league for her play at Ayala and a part of the ECNL all-regional league of the southwest division for her Legends team.
Her Legends team is the reigning ECNL Regional League West champions for 2023.
When Abby’s love for the game started at 5, she was lucky to have her older sister to look up to and emulate.
“I was inspired to play soccer because of my older sister, Katie. She played for many years and was a stud, so I wanted to be just like her.”
Something Katie might not know is that when other kids went looking for heroes in books and movies, Abby found her hero right at home.
“My sports hero is my sister Katie who played soccer from age 5 to 17. She was an amazing player but sadly had four knee surgeries due to soccer injuries. She is my hero because every time she tore her ACL and had to have surgery and do rehab, she fought so hard to make a comeback. She never gave up and had so much determination and persevered all four times.”
Abby transfers this determination to the field, where she runs the show from the center back. “I like that my position is a huge responsibility. I like to be held accountable and have to show up for every game.”
A center back position usually consists of blocking shots and making tackles, interceptions and clearances. They also compete for the ball aerially and on the ground. Abby can see the whole field from her position, so it is ideal to have a team leader there.
Ayala head coach, Gabe Ortiz, says Abby’s success makes sense. “Abby will continue to be successful for two obvious reasons. First, she is very disciplined. She has a desire to work hard and is willing to train at 6 am, in the cold, while it is still dark. Next, she is very consistent in her play. She does not have significant fluctuations. Even when she struggles, she is excellent.”
Abby is a top prospect to make first team all-league again and could even be in the running for defensive player of the year at Ayala.
Her Legends head coach, Carey Rosenbery, shares similar feelings about his star defender, “Abby trains with a level of intensity and work ethic that is not easily found across athletes. The level of competitiveness that Abby carries in training sessions has been a main cause of her on field plaudits and in making her a leader.”
Rosenbery says that Abby is the kind of player you hate to play against, but you’re glad when she’s on your team, noting that she demonstrates not only leadership, but a true warrior’s character.
“She will run through a brick wall for her team.”
To prepare on game days, Abby likes to listen to music on the way to the field. Her parents always give her an encouraging pep talk to get in the zone.
Abby shared that the best advice for soccer comes from her dad, “He tells me, ‘Every time you step on the field, whether it’s a practice, conditioning or a game, you have to play full out. If you train and practice like it’s game day, then your game will be spot on.’”
Coach Ortiz noted a change in Abby’s character over time, sharing a moment two years ago when the game wasn’t about winning, as much as it was developing a winner’s mindset.
“Everywhere we turned in this game, the other team had a player. It was just a battle to survive.”
So the questions then became, “Are you strong enough? Can you fight? Are you willing to go further when you feel like you can’t? Abby affirmatively answered each question. I saw a change in her character that day, which might just change her life.”
Being the class of 2024, Abby has some exciting decisions to make in the next few months. She is currently talking to a few colleges about taking her game to the next level, but she has not made any decisions yet. Wherever she goes, she plans to major in elementary education and follow in the teacher footsteps of her mom.
If given the opportunity, Abby would love to play soccer professionally.
With such a demanding schedule, Abby says challenges come with such great obligation.
“My biggest challenge is finding a balance between school, soccer, my job, my family and my friends. It is extremely difficult to manage everything and give 100% to it all. I take one day at a time and lean on my family for support.”
Her favorite soccer moment came just last season. “Our team made it all the way to the quarter finals in CIF. The entire season was a total blast! Our team had so much grit in getting the job done every game!”
Training year-round with club, and seasonal with high school, fitness is part of her daily routine. She likes to run, hike and workout at the gym.
“I train 4-5 times a week in team trainings and/or private trainings. My older sister, Shelby, is a fitness trainer and sports nutritionist and she keeps me on a specific meal plan to properly fuel my body.”
When she is not playing soccer, Abby enjoys wakeboarding at the river and baking. You may also have seen her working at the local Olive Garden.
As Abby heads into her last high school season, Coach Ortiz leaves us with a perfectly poignant point, “This article isn’t about a girl who plays a game. It is about a girl who will change the next generation. She will make it better. And, because of her, we will be better too.”
We can’t wait to see where Abby decides to continue her soccer journey. Best of luck in your final season as a bulldog! We are all rooting for you!
This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.
