‘The light shined on me’: Grayslake Central’s Alan Alonso, the 2022 News-Sun Boys Soccer Player of the Year, makes the most of it.
Alonso #Alonso
Grayslake Central midfielder Alan Alonso entered his senior season with high expectations for himself.
After recording five goals and four assists as a junior, Alonso wanted to tap into his full potential. Then star forward Danik Marynevych suffered a season-ending knee injury in September.
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“I think Danik is a really good player, but a lot of people were in his shadow,” Alonso said. “He was our top scorer. But once he was gone, the light shined on me, and I was able to perform well.”
Alonso, the 2022 News-Sun Boys Soccer Player of the Year, racked up 15 goals and a team-high 23 assists as Grayslake Central (19-2-3) returned to state for the second straight season and earned the Class 2A third-place trophy. Among Alonso’s goals was the winner in the Rams’ 1-0 victory against Northern Lake County Conference rival Wauconda in a sectional semifinal.
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Grayslake Central coach Keith Andersson said he didn’t watch Alonso play much two years ago because he was coaching on the lower levels. When Andersson was named the head coach before last season, he said he watched Alonso develop into an outstanding player.
“When Alan came back for his senior season, he could ping a ball with both feet, and you couldn’t tell if he was a lefty or a righty,” Andersson said. “His fitness level also stood out. He was extremely fit, and it paid off in a big way for the team.
“He always wanted us to push him and the team to their limits, so we did. He’s extremely competitive and leaves it all on the field.”
Alonso decided he needed to push harder this season.
“I didn’t think I performed in my sophomore and junior years in high school at my best capability, at least stat-wise,” Alonso said. “I didn’t have the best stats going into my senior year. One of my goals was to be an all-stater and get more than 10 goals.”
Alonso, a team captain, said his improvement required a change in his attitude, both on and off the field.
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“I knew the summer after my sophomore season that I had the talent and was a hardworking kid on the field because my dad told me,” he said. “He told me I could be a great player if I did the right things. My parents showed me a new perspective.
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“I improved in my junior season, but I knew I had to become a bigger role model and leader this season. I’m not the most outgoing person and I’m shy off the field. But I took it into my own hands.”
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Having younger brothers in the program provided Alonso with additional motivation. Jaziel Alonso is a sophomore midfielder, and Uriel Alonso is a freshman defender.
“It’s harder for me to be a leader for my brothers than my teammates because with my brothers it involves so much more than soccer,” Alan Alonso said. “It involves schoolwork, being a good influence, staying away from bad people. I was inspired to be a leader.
“I wanted to be an inspiration to my brothers — like if I can do these great things, they can, too, if they really wanted.”
Alonso wants to continue his playing career in college and is receiving interest from a few Division III programs. Andersson said Alonso is a potential gem for a college team due to his evolving game and leadership traits.
“I’m not sure I’ve ever have a kid as talented as Alan,” Andersson said. “He’s the best box-to-box player I’ve ever seen, and with his ability to defend, I’ve never seen a guy defend as vigorously as he does against gigantic guys. I hope colleges are paying attention.”
Bobby Narang is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.