Announcement

**Guest** · 06-18-2023, 07:16 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

“CHICAGO (June 16, 2023) — In its 38th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Santiago Somorrostro of Nashua High School South is the 2022-23 Gatorade New Hampshire Boys Soccer Player of the Year. Somorrostro is the first Gatorade New Hampshire Boys Soccer Player of the Year to be chosen from Nashua High School South.”

No not his parent or coach or whatever. Did see him play a couple of times and is a great player. Congratulations to him and his family

That’s awesome. Two straight state championships and he still has his senior season to play. I’ve never seen him play and I have no idea if he is a big time college prospect or not but he could end his high school career with an incredible resume. Good job kid.

**Guest** · 06-18-2023, 06:24 PM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

That’s awesome. Two straight state championships and he still has his senior season to play. I’ve never seen him play and I have no idea if he is a big time college prospect or not but he could end his high school career with an incredible resume. Good job kid.

Fantastic kid.

**Guest** · 06-19-2023, 10:40 AM

Who was the girls?

**Guest** · 06-20-2023, 07:16 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

Who was the girls?

I believe it's announced later in the week but heard the Bow girl won it again.

**Guest** · 06-20-2023, 07:44 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

I believe it's announced later in the week but heard the Bow girl won it again.

I know she is really good and worthy but it would be hard not to give it to the striker from timberlane. Also the center back from Bedford was the best player in the state but defenders never get the love.

**Guest** · 06-20-2023, 08:00 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

I know she is really good and worthy but it would be hard not to give it to the striker from timberlane. Also the center back from Bedford was the best player in the state but defenders never get the love.

Really hard for defenders as stats don’t jump out. Need to watch the games directly to see the impact, which is tough to do. She did get some notice for the USSC awards so I guess it is possible. I think a defender has only won once before, and ironically it was a girl from Bedford. Must be something in the water.

**Guest** · 06-20-2023, 09:12 AM

Slight drift...I've seen the nomination criteria and the Gatorade award takes a lot into account, not just soccer. GPA, volunteerism, etc. and I believe there is an extensive background check on each player. The other award is pretty much just soccer related and voted by the same coaches who vote for all-state, all NE, and all-American. Winners of the Gatorade award have won it in the past who weren't even All-Americans, for example. Still, I will assume, great players.

Not advocating one player over the other, just noting that criteria is different for the Gatorade award. I guess you could say one award is for the player, one is for the person.

**Guest** · 06-29-2023, 10:22 PM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

Slight drift...I've seen the nomination criteria and the Gatorade award takes a lot into account, not just soccer. GPA, volunteerism, etc. and I believe there is an extensive background check on each player. The other award is pretty much just soccer related and voted by the same coaches who vote for all-state, all NE, and all-American. Winners of the Gatorade award have won it in the past who weren't even All-Americans, for example. Still, I will assume, great players.

Not advocating one player over the other, just noting that criteria is different for the Gatorade award. I guess you could say one award is for the player, one is for the person.

All region selections were nonsense on the boys side. Lots of politics and block voting. The kid who won it is a good player but just not the all American in my book. Santiago didn’t even get all region and some d3 kids were on it and also some inferior d2 and d1 kids. Gatorade guy actually calls some coaches to get specific feedback. The right choice in my book and nhiaa needs to figure out how to better do that imo

**Guest** · 06-30-2023, 07:26 AM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

All region selections were nonsense on the boys side. Lots of politics and block voting. The kid who won it is a good player but just not the all American in my book. Santiago didn’t even get all region and some d3 kids were on it and also some inferior d2 and d1 kids. Gatorade guy actually calls some coaches to get specific feedback. The right choice in my book and nhiaa needs to figure out how to better do that imo

There is some validity in this from what I have seen. But, to clarify, the GoPTY has nothing to do with any state accolades. Anyone can be nominated and since it's more than a soccer-only award (in theory) it's certainly conceivable someone who isn't all-Region could be a GoPTY.

That being said, there is an "old-boys" network with how some voting goes. Coaches vote for what/who they know, so it's really hard for new players to break in. I know of girls who won awards last year and this year that likely (IMO) the most deserving. I do think the higher up, the more likely they are to get it right (i.e. AA and PoTY awards seem to be good choices). Last, while a much greater concentration of good players are from D1 schools, the others can and should be included if there is a good player. I know of D4 girls over the last couple of years who can be put up against just about anyone no questions asked. One D4 girl last year walked into a good D1 school, started from day one, and was the leading scorer. She had every right to be considered; she wasn't only because of geography.

Referenced girls vs. boys only because I did more of their games and saw them play much more than I did boys, but the theory still holds.

**Guest** · 07-01-2023, 10:43 PM

Originally posted by Guest View Post

There is some validity in this from what I have seen. But, to clarify, the GoPTY has nothing to do with any state accolades. Anyone can be nominated and since it's more than a soccer-only award (in theory) it's certainly conceivable someone who isn't all-Region could be a GoPTY.

That being said, there is an "old-boys" network with how some voting goes. Coaches vote for what/who they know, so it's really hard for new players to break in. I know of girls who won awards last year and this year that likely (IMO) the most deserving. I do think the higher up, the more likely they are to get it right (i.e. AA and PoTY awards seem to be good choices). Last, while a much greater concentration of good players are from D1 schools, the others can and should be included if there is a good player. I know of D4 girls over the last couple of years who can be put up against just about anyone no questions asked. One D4 girl last year walked into a good D1 school, started from day one, and was the leading scorer. She had every right to be considered; she wasn't only because of geography.

Referenced girls vs. boys only because I did more of their games and saw them play much more than I did boys, but the theory still holds.

Don’t let Grabil vote for anything. Solves boys side.