Athlete of the Week: Chris Pedersen

senior Chris Pedersen serves as goalie on the varsity soccer team, throws the discus on the spring track team and performs with the MHS Theater Club in the winter during the Drama Fest competition.

Recently, Chris has been trying his best to act like the varsity boys' soccer season hasn’t been incredibly frustrating.

The 17-year-old is co-captain of the boys’ soccer team along with Danny Plunkett and Mike Brenan. The three captains have not been on the field together for one minute of play due to injuries - Brenan had knee surgery, Plunkett fractured his pelvis and Pedersen has been sidelined the last few games with a concussion.

“I’d like to tell you what happened, but I have no idea, they tell me I went up for a ball and cracked heads with a Revere player. I guess I was unconscious for about 30 seconds or so,” Pedersen said. “I just remember being in Mass General.”

His teammates voted him captain because of his hard work ethic and commitment to the team, and he’s determined to finish up the 2011 season on a high note when he returns to action next week against Beverly.

“I’m excited, I miss it, we’ve been so close to winning a couple of times, we just have to keep playing hard,” Chris said.

Chris has been playing soccer in town since he was four and enjoys being an athlete in Marblehead.

“For a small town, we have great support for athletics from the people in the community,” Pedersen said. “I’m going to be done with athletics when I graduate from Marblehead, it’s been great to be on the soccer team and the track team.”

Pedersen said he hopes to be at Georgetown next fall with an eye on the school's business program.

“Georgetown is great, the applications go out next week and I’m very excited about that,” Pedersen said.

Chris lives on Elm Street with his mom and dad. He has an older sister and brother, 22-year-old twins.

“I’ve got great support from my family growing up in just about everything,” Chris said. “My sister played soccer and lacrosse, so she was always giving me advice when I asked for it.”

“In school I really like AP Calculus and AP Physics, they're very challenging, but very fun. AP French really challenges me, I’m working at it,” Pedersen said.

The Chris Pedersen File:

Age – 17

Class – Senior

Favorite food – BBQ Chicken Pizza

Favorite TV show – The Daily Show

Favorite movie – Animal House

Favorite athlete – Ray Allen

Favorite team – The Boston Celtics

Favorite artist – Billy Joel

Most embarrassing song on my iPod – Dancing Queen by ABBA

Dream – “To get into Georgetown and study business.”

The soccer team travels to Manchester to take on the Hornets Saturday afternoon at 2:45.