Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week: Harvard’s Julie Silva

Name: Julie Silva

School: Harvard

Sport: Girls soccer

Why she was selected: Silva has been a catalyst in a turnaround season for the Hornets, who Wednesday as the No. 5 seed won their first Kishwaukee River Conference Tournament championship over Richmond-Burton in penalty kicks.

Last week, Silva scored four goals in a 4-2 win against Belvidere and recorded a hat trick in a KRC Tournament first-round win over Woodstock North. The Hornets, with 13 wins, already have more victories this year than they did in their previous seven seasons combined.

For her performance, Silva was selected as the Northwest Herald Athlete of the Week in an online vote. McHenry baseball’s Brandon Shannon and Huntley softball’s Gretchen Huber also were nominated.

Silva answered a few questions from sports editor Alex Kantecki.

What has been the most enjoyable part of your freshman season so far?

Silva: There are many enjoyable parts of my freshman season. One of them is being able to take home the wins against teams that were not expecting us to win. The trust that our coaches have in us and the vision that they have created for the team – thank you, Coach [Victor] Gonzalez, Coach [Elizabeth] Benitez and Coach [Breanna] Miller. But the most enjoyable part and memory that I will cherish is being able to play on the varsity team along with my sister, Jackie. I will for sure miss her.

Who is your funniest high school teammate?

Silva: My funniest high school teammate is Giada [Reising]. She definitely lightens up the mood and just makes us all laugh.

Who is your favorite professional soccer player?

Silva: My favorite professional soccer player is Marta da Silva. Watching her play has inspired me to be a better athlete.

What celebrity would you like to hang out with for a day?

Silva: Even though she is not a celebrity, I would love to hang out with basketball player Kamorea “KK” Arnold.

What is a sport that you are just not good at?

Silva: A sport I am just not good at is basketball. I love watching basketball games, but I just can’t play.

What are three of your favorite movies?

Silva: I really don’t watch movies, but I do enjoy watching soccer and basketball games.

What is something most people wouldn’t know about you?

Silva: Something most people wouldn’t know about me is that I’m extremely afraid of ladybugs.

If you celebrated a goal like NFL players celebrate touchdowns, what would you and your teammates do?

Silva: My teammates and I would all hit backflips and land like Spiderman.

What is your favorite pregame/postgame snack or meal?

Silva: Before every game I always eat a ham and cheese sandwich that my sister makes for me.

If you were stuck on a deserted island, what three things would you bring with you?

Silva: If I were stuck on a deserted island, I would bring my baby blanket, a soccer ball and water.