Q&A With CPHS’ Girls Soccer Coach, Danielle Cibelli

Saly Moubayed

It’s soccer season! For this season, Ms. Cibelli sits down with me to explain the different components of playing and coaching soccer.

Who are your captains?

Our captains are Saly Moubayed, Kiara Valdez, and Maya Winters.

Who are your returning star players?

We are a senior-led team. Some top returners, besides the captains, are Kaylen Mejia, Deziray Nieves, Samantha Ocampo, and Kaylen Benitez.

What makes a good leader for your team?

A good leader is someone who leads by example. They are always hustling and trying to improve themselves and their team. Communication is also important. Leaders need to be in constant communication with the pulse of the team. They have to be the middlemen between the players and coaches. Leaders should be able to rally the team both on and off the field.

What is the best thing about your sport and/or coaching it?

Soccer has always been a love of mine. It becomes a microcosm of life. It has given me a lifeline and opened a lot of doors for me. I want to pass this passion and knowledge to my players.

What makes your sport unique?

Soccer is unique because of the use of feet and other parts of the body. The game can be 1 vs 1 or even 11 vs. 11. It has competition both on the field and in the net.

Where do you expect the team to rank this season?

Our goal is to make it to the county and state tournaments, something we’ve missed out on in the past. We lost a lot of goal scorers last year, as well as defensive players. However, with the abundance of upperclassmen, I think we will be able to fill their places. The upperclassmen have been in the program with me at helm for some time now.

What are you and the team working on in practice?

At practices, we try to work on all aspects of the game. We split up the offense and defense to develop and work on specific skills. We also play a lot of 2 vs. 2s and 3 vs. 3s. We try to practice in a lot of oddmen situations.

What expectations do you have for your players?

I want them to see how much they’ve grown as both individuals and players. I always hold my athletes to a higher standard because they are both students and players.

Thank you to Coach Cibelli for her time. We wish the Girls Soccer Team luck in all their upcoming games!