By: Anne Larsen
Scott Penner is one amazing kid, with amazing parents, and two younger siblings that will without a doubt be gracing ThurstonTalk (a stepping stone to Sports Illustrated) in the years to come. Some kids have parents that “played” soccer themselves as kids -maybe high school or college. Scott’s parents, Erik and Kathleen Penner, are University of Washington soccer Hall of Fame superstars! The list of Kathleen and Erik’s accomplishments and UW records is ridiculously long. They both hold school career records for: goals, points, and game winning goals to name a few. How do I know all of this? Trust me, they didn’t tell me. I heard a rumor about it. And, then thank goodness for Google so I could snoop out the info without asking them (they would never brag, they are Penner’s for pete’s sake). If you’ve meet the Penner’s, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, well you’re about to. Scott’s mom, Kathleen, is the coach, mom, friend, that everyone (male or female) would love to emulate. I often ask myself — what would Kathleen Penner do right NOW!?! You can never go wrong when you “channel Kathleen Penner.” Erik, an Emergency Physician at Providence St. Peter Hospital, is fabulous in his own right. And their kids? Well, their kids are just plain fantastic. Scott embodies the best of his parents both on the field and off. So let’s get on with the gushing and meet Scott Penner!
Scott is the oldest of the Penner clan and has been playing soccer since the age of 4. Because of his genuine love of the sport and with his parents support, he has been happily kickin’ it in the grass ever since. He upped the ante and started playing “select” soccer at the age of 9. He currently plays for Blackhills FC and you can find Scott out on the fields Tuesday and Thursday nights and occasionally doing skill sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays. Coach Charette has been working with Scott for this past year with the Blackhills FC and last year through the Elite Player Development Program, formerly ODP. As his Blackhills FC coach, he appreciates Scott’s “humbleness and respect towards the game, each teammate, learning and coaches.”
In 2011, Scott made the OPD team and traveled to Ventura, California with the state team. The goal of OPD is to identify players of the highest caliber, distinguish a pool of players in each age group to form a National Team for international competition, provide high-level training to benefit and enhance the development of players at all levels, and develop an environment for the exchange of ideas and curriculum to improve all levels of coaching. Each State Association holds ODP try-outs on an annual basis. Players are evaluated on the four components that make up a soccer player: 1. Technique; 2. Tactics; 3. Fitness and Athletic Ability; and 4. Psychological Component (attitude). Only 36 players from Washington where chosen through the try-out process to play on the OPD team, and it was an enormous accomplishment and experience for Scott to make this team. “Seeing what the next level of play looked like when I was on the state team was a break-though in my soccer experience to date,” says Scott.
So what does it take to become the soccer dynamo that Scott is? If you’re thinking natural ability and two hall of fame parents…..well that may be the tip of the iceberg, but that big chunk, the part under the water that no one sees…that’s all Scott and what he brings to the field. He is one disciplined kid. To stay on top of his game, he trains on ball skills and passing under pressure. He recognizes his challenges on the field-being aggressive and winning all of his tackles- and works on those components. “Scott is a very intelligent player, who understands his role within the team structure. I admire his commitment to excellence both on and off the field and his spirit and integrity that he brings to the team,” says Coach Charette. Their team finished first place in Division 2 and are currently playing in Division 1.
Off the field Scott faces the same challenges as every athlete/scholar – finding a balance between sport and school. His ultimate goal is to be an ER doctor, so I’m sure he’ll figure it out (his dad did)!
Every athlete has attributes that separate them from their teammates and competitors. Scott’s is his ability to work hard and his “determination to win.” Scott is the player on the field that is self-determined and wants to “do well” by himself, his teammates and his coach. He brings his “A- game” to ever practice and game. His motto? “Work hard, but smell the roses along the way!” Really, it doesn’t get more Penner than that.
