Bend It Like Park

Name: Duncan Park

Grade: Senior

Height: 5’11”

Hair Color: Black

Eye Color: Brown

Date of Birth: 12/17/2007

How did you get into soccer?

I started playing when I was little during recess since every other kid played. For most of my life, I played on a team that wasn’t that serious, only practicing once or twice a week with a game on the weekends. I didn’t join a real club until the pandemic. Because hockey was really hard to play during COVID, I would spend most days shooting around in the park with my little brother. I became more dedicated and that’s how I got into the game. With my higher commitment as a player came more dedication to following a team, and I became a total soccer nerd.

What position do you play? What specific skills are required?

I played left wing this season, but I’m also comfortable playing striker or really anywhere. My freshman and sophomore years I was rotated around in the midfield, but moved up to attack in junior and senior year. As a forward, my job is to create goals, whether that’s assisting my teammates or scoring them myself.

The beautiful thing about soccer is that every position can be played a different way. Some strikers are bigger and try to “hold up” the ball for their teammates to come join them in attack, while others make runs in behind the defense to receive the ball and score. When I play striker, I find that I’m a mix of both, sometimes coming back to pick up the ball and create, and other times running in behind to score. The wing is a lot different. You always have two options: trying to dribble past the defender or passing it back to your teammates. I think that I’m more of a passive player, and one thing I need to work on is not being afraid to take on more defenders. You have to be quick on your feet, have a good shot, and be good with decision-making both on and off the ball.

What obstacles have you had to overcome as a player and captain?

Deep question—I’d say staying mentally in-check with the game. I had a habit of getting red cards at club level for arguing with the referees, which is something that I’ve proudly lost. I’d also mention injuries. While I haven’t had any year-long injuries, my body has definitely felt the toll of the game. I had a recurring knee injury in eighth and ninth grade that sidelined me for months, a broken foot sophomore year that kept me out for two months, a concussion after getting shot in the face with a ball (I couldn't see out of one eye for a few days), and more. It took a lot of mental strength to push through physically while also doing schoolwork and other extracurricular activities.

Being a captain this year has been a huge honor and also a great learning experience. In my four years on this team, I’ve noticed that the hardest thing for captains to do is to gain the team’s respect. Respect is earned, not given, and that’s one thing that I’ve learned this year. Keeping the team in check has been really hard, and knowing how to balance being strict and also being fun and lenient has been a challenge.

What have been your favorite memories on the team?

Wow, there have been so many! There weren’t many my freshman year, but I remember in my sophomore year, Martin Wu scored a goal directly from a corner kick to win the game, and that was crazy. Our season in 2023/24 was so special because of the moments formed. I think the first big one was my goal to seal the win against Beacon in the pouring rain. Everything was a blur when I scored; the ball hit the back of the net and I just remember my teammates surrounding me in the corner to celebrate our first win against them in forever. Pretty much every playoff goal we scored in 23/24 led to us swarming the player in the corner, celebrating our hearts out. There’s something magical about playoff goals.

This year was arguably even better than last year. So many memories were formed during our preseason trip at Camp Scatico, from playing volleyball for hours on end (we won the fall Stuy Sports volleyball tournament) to watching Smile in the Dark and hearing Sid squeal to listening to Max and his terrible jokes. That formed an unbreakable bond that carried on throughout the season.

The biggest moment was probably our win against Curtis in the quarter-finals this year. They were the higher seed, so we had to travel to Staten Island to play them on Election Day. We were down two players, had three goal-line clearances in overtime, and seemingly had the whole world against us. Somehow we managed to pull off a victory in penalty kicks; the scene of Eben scoring that last penalty kick replays in my head over and over.

What did a typical practice look like?

It looked like a hot mess. In all seriousness, it changed depending on field availability and attendance. We only had permits three days a week and had to share with girls’ soccer when we had them. It would start with a warmup, then possession for about 45 minutes, where two teams would try to keep the ball away from the other. Then we would go into a shooting or crossing drill, and finish practice off with a scrimmage. Preseason practices always ended with a fitness component, where we’d do five to six pyramids.

In your opinion, what are the best and worst parts about soccer?

The best part of high school soccer is definitely the community. The boys on the team have a special connection, and it’s definitely the best three months of the year. Spending every day with a group of guys who love the game just as much as you do is hard to come by, and that plays a large role in forming our sense of community. 

Like I touched upon earlier, the worst part is definitely the mental setbacks, whether that’s injuries, poor performances, or losing a game. Especially as a winger, confidence is important. You need to be able to push aside any negative thoughts so you can continue to play your game and try to take on defenders. Without confidence, you’ll be scared to perform and won't play your game.

Do you have any pre-game rituals or superstitions?

My dad always tells me not to have pre-game rituals, so I haven't picked up many. If there was one, I’d say it’s to eat a sweet potato before every game. I ate it once and played really well, so now I eat it every time. I also listen to the same songs before the game, but I’ll keep that playlist a secret.

What are your plans with soccer now that the school seasons are over?

I haven’t thought too far ahead, so I’m kind of unsure. I quit club soccer last year, so I won’t play that much this upcoming year. I want to continue in college, probably at the club level. But I know that I’ll remain a fan for life and always try to play at every stage in my life.

Fun Questions:

Funniest Teammate: Max Schwartz

Favorite Soccer Team/Player: Manchester City and Son Heung-Min

Favorite Sports Drink: Water or Nuun

Favorite Post-Game Meal: Anything my mom makes!

If You Could Play Any Other Sport: Ice Hockey or football (receiver)