Quite possibly the best soccer player on the best team in southeast Texas, Derek Brasher led Monsignor Kelly Catholic to the TAPPS 6A regional semifinals and was selected first-team All-State.
VYPE caught up with Brasher during this quarantine period to get his thoughts on the Bulldog's great season and what's next for his future.
VYPE: During this time of quarantine what are you doing as an athlete to stay in shape and keep engaged with your coach and teammates?
Brasher: On most days I wake up and run 2 miles. I also workout every day, and I try to play some soccer just to keep myself in shape. The Kelly team has also been doing online workouts where next year's captains send workouts in our group chat that can be done at home.
VYPE: Explain a typical day in your life with the "stay-at-home" order and how are you engaging with your school work and personal life?
Brasher: After my run, I have school from 9 until around 2 or 3, which is when I normally work out and play some sports. Then for the rest of the day I'm spending time with my family and playing games with my friends. I try and keep my school and home life separate, so I have a room where I do school that I can easily switch out of when I'm not doing schoolwork.
VYPE: You were one of the top players in SETX this past season being voted as an all-state player and finalist for the National Merit Scholarship, what do you remember most of this season on the pitch as the top playmaker on the #1 team in the area?
Brasher: This past season has definitely been a memorable one. Some of my favorite accomplishments we had as a team were our last minute wins against St. Thomas, who was ranked number one in the state of Texas on MaxPreps at the time, and Concordia Lutheran, which was actually on my birthday. I also can't forget the playoff game we hosted. Our entire school and more came to support us, and being able to win in front of a huge crowd was incredible.
VYPE: MKCHS Soccer had a great season before the coronavirus hit (TAPPS 6A D1 regional semi's). What, in your opinion, made the season such a great success?
Brasher: Our season's greatest success was the culture we built on our team. In years past it has been hard to have our full team on the same page, and there has always been disunity. But this year, our team was one unit on and off the field, and that is what really put our team up to a higher level.
VYPE: You will moving on next year, have you decided on a college at this point and what is your 2-5 year plan?
Brasher: I'm going to attend Brigham Young University in Utah in the fall. I don't currently plan to play high level college soccer, but plans can always change. I'm looking forward to playing intramural soccer however, because I definitely want to continue my athletic career even in a less competitive environment.
VYPE: What do you want your legacy to be at MKCHS?
Brasher: I definitely want my legacy to be starting a unified, winning culture. I hope that what we started this year at Kelly with our run in playoffs and great record will carry on for upcoming years. Kelly soccer has historically been excellent, and this year I, along with my other senior teammates, set our team back in that track.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
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