On January 14th, 2012, senior Nico Pascual-Leone will receive the 2011 NSCAA High School Scholar All-America award for soccer in Kansas City, Kansas.

According to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) website, recipients of this award must be nominated by their coaches and must have an unweighted grade point average of 3.75 or higher.

After David Gavron, Wayland High School’s varsity boys soccer coach, nominated Pascual-Leone, he was chosen as a recipient for the 2011 awards.

“I know it is a great honor and I was shocked when I first heard I won the award,” said Pascual-Leone.

Pascual-Leone has played soccer since he could walk. He has played on many soccer teams over the years. Pascual-Leone played for the Wayland Middle and High School teams, Mass Premier Soccer (MPS) and James Bede Soccer Academy. He was also a part of a few teams in Spain, including El Planter and the Valencia CF youth team.

Each summer, Pascual-Leone goes back to Spain with his family and plays soccer with his brother and the local Spaniards.

One of Pascual-Leone’s fondest memories of soccer is when he got to cover his neighbor, Gaizka Mendieta, during his first pick up game with him in Spain. Mendieta is a former captain of the national soccer team of Spain.

Currently, Pascual-Leone is playing for MPS and was a captain of the Wayland High School varsity boys soccer team this fall.

“He’s the best player I’ve ever played with, so I’m not surprised that he won it,” said his Wayland High School teammate, sophomore Ben Caples. “I also know how hard he works, so I’m happy he’s getting recognized because it’s well deserved.”