2023 Northwest Herald Boys Soccer Player of the Year: Crystal Lake South’s Nolan Getzinger

Nolan Getzinger made a change in his game this season in order for Crystal Lake South to reach its full potential.

Getzginer won last season’s Northwest Herald Boys Soccer Player of the Year award as one of the most dominant goal scorers in the area. But he needed to defer more as a senior for the Gators to take advantage of their talented frontline.

“That takes a special type of kid not just from a soccer standpoint but a mental and character standpoint, to be willing to alter how he’s playing that game,” South coach Brian Allen said. “It’s that side of him, his maturity, his leadership, his genuineness in wanting the best for the program and his teammates.”

That transformation ended with a perfect result when the Gators won their second state title in program history. Getzinger also set the program’s single-season assists record with 29 while adding 16 goals, which helped him earn Illinois High School Soccer Coaches Association All-State honors for a second straight season.

After another impressive season and making changes in order for his team to succeed, Getzinger is the Northwest Herald Boys Soccer Player of the Year for a second straight season, as selected by the sports staff with input from area coaches. Huntley forward Hudson Nielsen also received consideration for the award.

A South player has now won the award five of the last six seasons. Alex Canfield won the award in 2018 and 2019 while Tom Coughlin captured the award in 2021.

Getzinger answered some questions from Northwest Herald sports reporter Michal Dwojak about his senior season, what it meant to win a state championship and where he likes to eat.

Was there a moment you thought you guys could do something special this year?

Getzinger: Honestly, I think it was the Boylan game. That was our second game of the year and we ended up winning 4-2. After that game, we had a ton of confidence and I was super impressed with how we played, especially from the preseason summer games. I wasn’t worried but I didn’t know how far we could take it. After that game, I felt a ton of confidence throughout the entire team. Our next couple games weren’t the best, but I knew if we played how we did that one game, we could achieve a lot.

What was the feeling like when you won the state championship?

Getzinger: It was unreal and even now it’s still hard, it still hasn’t settled in yet. I’m still trying to soak in my team won state this year. That’s obviously the goal throughout the year and every single year. Finally being able to seize that my senior year was honestly the best feeling I’ve had playing soccer and honestly one of the best feelings I’ve had in general.

How did you approach this season?

Getzinger: I knew my role was going to change a little bit from last season. There were more captains and I was a junior and a captain, this year I was going to be a senior and a captain. I knew I had to step up as more of a leader. For me, it was not being a selfish player. I tried making the whole team work together and I ended up getting a lot of assists. Just having a lot of people work together and work for each other. It made it such a successful team.

Was the transition hard for you?

Getzinger: At first it took me a little bit to get used to. Throughout the end of the season I started to play a little better, it took me a little bit to get used to the role change. Maybe not scoring all the goals but helping create. It took me a little bit, but once I was there, I felt I was pretty decent at the end of the year.

What do you think you’ll remember the most about this season?

Getzinger: Obviously other than winning state, it was going to be the snow game in supersectionals. During the game I didn’t want to be there but now looking back at it, it was so fun. Scoring in overtime, we got to celebrate in the corner and slide in the snow. After the game getting to look at the pictures in the snow and it being on Halloween, it was such a cool experience.

What is your favorite class right now?

Getzinger: I think psychology. I probably struggle the most with it, but for me it’s interesting, just learning about the brain and how people work. My coach, Brian Allen, is actually my teacher in that class, so I have fun in that class every day.

What do you like most about soccer?

Getzinger: I think being able to be a leader and work with a group of people is my favorite. I think you can learn from so many different people, so I think the first three years I learned from all my teammates and it’s cool seeing how players grow and how much you can learn from other players, work as a team.

What’s your favorite restaurant?

Getzinger: Honestly right now I really like Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers. Every time my brother comes home from college, me and him will go there. I get the box combo and instead of coleslaw you get an extra piece of bread and then I usually get a Hi-C.

What’s the last good book you read that left an impression on you?

Getzinger: “The Wolf of Wall Street” I read last year and that honestly sparked some interest in what I want to do after high school, I want to get into some sort of business. After I read that book, it gave me ideas of what I wanted to do after high school.

What does it mean to cap your high school career with a state championship? Could you have asked for a better ending?

Getzinger: Honestly no. This is everything student-athletes dream of: Winning a state championship, especially your senior year makes it even better. The first three years, this is what you’re aiming for every year you play, this is where you want to get. To get to do it the last year makes it more special.