Athlete of the Week: Danny Plunkett [VIDEO]

The soccer team will open up the 2011 season at practice this weekend and for senior co-captain Danny that means it is time to put last season behind him and focus on the future.

“We had a really, really rough time last year,” Plunkett said. “We only won one game and it was tough to keep the team's morale up when the losses kept coming and coming.”

The 17-year-old sweeper has played for the varsity team since his sophomore year and will share the role of captain this season with fellow seniors Mike Brenan and Chris Peterson.

Plunkett loves soccer, but says his first love is track - specifically the field events. Basically, if you can throw it or toss it, Plunkett does it.

Danny set personal bests during his junior year at MHS on the indoor and outdoor track teams, throwing the javelin, discus and shotput.

His best distance in the shot was 42' 1"; in the discuss he threw 140' 8"; and his best javelin throw was 142' 1".

“This will probably be my last time playing soccer competitively, unless I play some club soccer in college," Plunkett said. "I’m really shooting to make the track team at a Division III school.”

Plunkett has looked at several D-III schools recently, including Amherst, Williams, Colby, Bowdoin and Middlebury.

“We want to bounce back after last year, for sure,” Plunkett said.“We’re coming into our second season with coach (Darren Benedick) and we’re all in much better shape than last season. We’ve worked incredibly hard on conditioning to get ready for this year.”

One of the big goals for the team this season, Plunkett said, is to consistently produce on offense.

“It was the coach’s first year, he was putting in a new system and we’re ready for the system now," Plunkett said. "We just have to generate more offense."

Brenan will wear the C for Marblehead for the second year in a row and it will be the first year for new co-captains Plunkett and Peterson.

“I think I got voted in because I have a good attitude, I compete and I like to win,” Plunkett said. “I don’t get riled up when things get tough, I stay on a pretty even keel and I think the other guys respond to that.”

The team's firmiliarity with each other, Plunkett said, will likely translate into more wins this season.

“We’ve got eight or nine starters coming back, the guys are excited to come back, I’m just excited to get going too," Plunkett said. "Hopefully all of our hard work will pay off."

The Danny Plunkett File:

Age – 17

Year – Senior at Marblehead High School

Favorite food – a bacon and cheese omelet

Favorite band – The White Stripes

Favorite TV show – Lost

Favorite movie – Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Dream – “To get into the state soccer tournament and get past the first round.”

Most embarrassing song on my iPod – L.O.V.E by Ashlee Simpson

Favorite athlete – Danny Woodhead

Favorite team – The New England Patriots

Up next – “Getting some wins on the soccer field.”

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