Alyssa Thompson And Bryce Boneau Named 2020-21 Gatorade® National Soccer Players Of The Year
Gatorade has honored Alyssa Thompson and Bryce Boneau as the 2020-21 National Soccer Players of the Year. Thompson, from Harvard-Westlake in California, is only the second sophomore to win the girls' award, scoring 48 goals during her perfect 18-0 season. Boneau from Keller High in Texas led his team to a 17-3 record, scoring 18 goals. Both players demonstrate excellence in athletics, academics, and community service, with Thompson committed to Stanford and Boneau to Notre Dame. Gatorade's award has recognized elite talents for over 35 years.
- Alyssa Thompson is the second sophomore to win the Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year.
- Thompson scored 48 goals and led her team to a perfect 18-0 record.
- Bryce Boneau led his team to a 17-3 record and was named Dallas Morning News Offensive Player of the Year.
- Both winners exhibit strong academic records and community involvement.
- None.
CHICAGO, June 17, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 36th year of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Alyssa Thompson of Harvard-Westlake High School in Los Angeles, Calif. and Bryce Boneau of Keller High School (Keller, Texas) are the 2020-21 Gatorade National Soccer Players of the Year. Thompson and Boneau won the prestigious award for their accomplishments on and off the field, joining an impressive group of former winners. Past Gatorade National Girls Soccer Players of the Year have combined for 17 gold medals and nine National Championships, while past Gatorade National Boys Soccer Players of the Year have combined for 11 National Championships and 13 MLS first round draft picks.
A significant feat, Thompson is the second-ever sophomore to receive the national honor for girls soccer. In overall program history across all sports, she is only the eighth sophomore to win a Gatorade National Player of the Year award.
Thompson and Boneau were surprised by their family, coaches and teammates at their respective schools. Mallory Pugh, Chicago Red Stars and USWNT forward, and Christian Pulisic, Chelsea FC and USMNT midfielder, also virtually surprised and congratulated the newly crowned winners on their incredible accomplishments. Check out videos of the announcements: Thompson and Boneau.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Thompson and Boneau as the nation's best high school soccer players. A national advisory panel comprised of sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select our winners from nearly a million other student-athletes who play soccer nationwide.
Competition for both the girls and boys national award was fierce. Thompson topped the list of state winners in girls soccer who collectively boast an incredible list of accomplishments, including five returning state Gatorade Players of the Year, 28 with a GPA of 4.0 and above and 34 with signed Letters of Intent or verbal commitments to play soccer at Division I schools/universities. Boneau surpassed the competition among state winners, which includes 22 with signed Letters of Intent to play soccer at Division I colleges/universities, 36 who volunteered at two or more organizations and 16 with a GPA of 4.0 and above.
"Alyssa is the perfect blend of physical ability and mental mastery of the game," said Sheldon Shealer, a high school soccer editor for TopDrawerSoccer.com. "Despite her small stature, she's faster, smarter, more technical and more determined than players in her age group. Beyond being a great individual talent, she's also a team player who helped Harvard-Westlake to a perfect season in what is arguably the strongest girls soccer region in the nation."
The 5-foot-4 sophomore forward Thompson led the Wolverines to an 18-0 record and both the Southern Section, Division 1 and the SoCal Division I Regional championships this past season. Thompson scored 48 goals and passed for 14 assists, tallying a hat trick in a 5-0 win over Villa Park High in the sectional title game and four goals in a 6-1 win over Pacifica High in the regional final. She is a member of the U.S. Soccer Under-18 Women's National Team and is ranked as the nation's No. 2 prospect in the Class of 2023 by TopDrawerSoccer.com.
Thompson has donated her own money to No Kid Hungry, an organization that supports children dealing with food insecurity. She has also volunteered locally supplying PPE materials to hospital workers and hygiene kits to local foster children.
Thompson has maintained a 3.52 GPA in the classroom. She has made a verbal commitment to play soccer on scholarship at Stanford University beginning in the fall of 2023.
"For me, Bryce would be in the top echelon of the kids who played high school this year," says Adrian Solca, executive director of Solar Soccer Club and the United Soccer Coaches Association 2019 National Youth Coach of the Year. "His technical ability is at a high level. His first touch with both feet is very good, he's very agile, he always knows how to advance the play, he controls the tempo and he's the kind of guy that makes the team tick. Either through consistency, or a brilliant pass or an extra run in front, he adds that surprise element in the offensive third from the midfield."
The 5-foot-10, 155-pound senior midfielder Boneau scored 18 goals and passed for 19 assists this past season, leading the Indians (17-3) to the Conference 6A, Region 1 tournament semifinals. The Dallas Morning News Offensive Player of the Year, Boneau was a Conference 6A First Team All-State selection. He is a three-time All-District selection despite missing significant time during both his freshman and junior years because of injuries.
Boneau has volunteered on behalf of the St. Barnabas Anglican Church in multiple capacities, including the Children's Ministry. The president of his school's Play it Forward chapter, through which he collects and distributes refurbished and reconditioned sports equipment to underserved youth, he has also donated his time to the City of Keller, the local Daddy/Daughter Dance and the Community Storehouse Food Pantry in Fort Worth.
Boneau has maintained an A average in the classroom. He has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on scholarship at the University of Notre Dame this fall.
"For more than 35 years, the Gatorade National Player of Year award has been given to the most elite student-athletes across the country, making it the most prestigious award in high school sports," said Gatorade Senior Vice President and General Manager Brett O'Brien. "The past year has been difficult for all high school athletes, but Thompson and Bryce have persevered and we have no doubt they will have continued success in sports and beyond."
Each year a selection committee evaluates the nation's top talent in the District of Columbia and all 50 states, choosing national winners in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track and field.
Gatorade is dedicated to recognizing, supporting and keeping athletes in the game because of the lifelong skills sports instill on and off the field. Since the program's inception in 1985, Gatorade Player of the Year award recipients have won hundreds of professional and college championships, and many have also turned into pillars in their communities, becoming coaches, business owners and educators. Previous winners include a distinguished list of athletes, such as Peyton Manning, Abby Wambach, Jayson Tatum, Derek Jeter, Elena Delle Donne and many other sports icons.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/Gatorade.
PREVIOUS GATORADE NATIONAL GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS | |||
YEAR | NAME | HOMETOWN | STATUS |
2019-20 | Emily Mason | Flemington, NJ | High School Senior |
2018-19 | Sophie Jones | Atherton, CA | Duke University |
2017-18 | Isabella D'Aquila | San Juan Capistrano, CA | Santa Clara University |
2016-17 | Kennedy Wesley | Cerritos, CA | Stanford University |
2015-16 | Ella Stevens | Loganville, GA | Chicago Red Stars |
2014-15 | Mallory Pugh | Highlands Ranch, CO | US Women's National Soccer Team |
2013-14 | Katie Cousins | Forest, VA | Played for University of Tennessee |
2012-13 | Morgan Andrews | Milford, NH | Washington Spirit |
2011-12 | Morgan Andrews | Milford, NH | Washington Spirit |
2010-11 | Morgan Brian | St. Simons Island, GA | Chicago Red Stars |
2009-10 | Mollie Pathman | Durham, NC | Retired from Boston Breakers |
2008-09 | Rachel Quon | Lake Forest, IL | Retired from Chicago Red Stars |
2007-08 | Teresa Noyola | Palo Alto, CA | Retired from Houston Dash |
2006-07 | Melissa Henderson | Garland, TX | Retired from Houston Dash |
2005-06 | Lauren Cheney | Indianapolis, IN | Retired from US Women's National Soccer Team |
2004-05 | Amy Rodriguez | Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | FC Kansas City |
2003-04 | Ashlyn Harris | Satellite Beach, FL | Orlando Pride |
2002-03 | Heather O'Reilly | East Brunswick, NJ | Retired from US Women's National Soccer Team |
2001-02 | Jill Oakes | West Hills, CA | Retired from Chicago Red Stars |
2000-01 | Mary McDowell | Lakewood, CO | Played for the University of North Carolina |
1999-00 | Aleisha Cramer | Lakewood, CO | Retired from US Women's National Soccer Team |
1998-99 | Christie Welsh | Massapequa, NY | Retired from US Women's National Soccer Team |
1997-98 | Aly Wagner | San Jose, CA | Retired from US Women's National Soccer Team |
PREVIOUS GATORADE NATIONAL BOYS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS | |||
YEAR | NAME | HOMETOWN | STATUS |
2019-20 | Jony Munoz | Olathe, KS | University of Missouri-Kansas City |
2018-19 | Omar Hernandez | Dalton, GA | Wake Forest University |
2017-18 | Ousseni Bouda | Millbrook, NY | Stanford University |
2016-17 | Umar Farouk Osman | Lakeville, CT | University of Michigan |
2015-16 | Lucas Mendes | Arlington, VA | Al Wakrah SC |
2014-15 | Jack Harrison | Sheffield, MA | Manchester City organization |
2013-14 | Abu Danladi | Los Olivos, CA | Nashville SC |
2012-13 | Cristian Roldan | Pico Rivera, CA | Seattle Sounders FC |
2011-12 | Emmanuel Boateng | Carpinteria, CA | New England Revolution |
2010-11 | Luis Rendon | Midlothian, VA | Played for Duke University |
2009-10 | Soony Saad | Dearborn, MI | Al-Wehdat SC |
2008-09 | Dillon Powers | Plano, TX | Dundee United FC |
2007-08 | Chris Agorsor | Owings Mills, MD | Retired from Richmond Kickers |
2006-07 | Brayan Martinez | West Orange, NJ | Monterrey Flash |
2005-06 | Eric Alexander | Portage, MI | Retired from FC Dallas |
2004-05 | Lee Nguyen | Plano, TX | Ho Chi Minh City FC |
2003-04 | Patrick Phelan | Wilbraham, MA | Retired from San Antonio Scorpions |
2002-03 | Greg Dalby | Poway, CA | Retired from Charlotte Eagles |
2001-02 | Jordan Harvey | Mission Viejo, CA | Los Angeles FC |
2000-01 | Ned Grabavoy | New Lenox, IL | Retired from Portland Timbers |
1999-00 | Alecko Eskandarian | Oradell, NJ | Retired from Los Angeles Galaxy |
1998-99 | Kyle Martino | Westport, CT | Retired from Los Angeles Galaxy |
1997-98 | Nick Downing | Redmond, WA | Retired from Charlotte Battery |
1996-97 | Nick Garcia | Dallas, TX | Retired from Toronto FC |
1995-96 | Andrew Kirk | Milwaukee, WI | Retired from Tampa Bay Mutiny |
1994-95 | Pierre Venditti | Milford, CT | Played for University of Maryland |
1993-94 | Andriy Shapowal | Chagrin Falls, OH | Played for University of Virginia |
1992-93 | Mike Fisher | Batavia, IL | Played for University of Virginia |
1991-92 | Matt McKeon | St. Louis, MO | Retired from Kansas City Wizards |
1990-91 | Claudio Reyna | Newark, NJ | Retired from New York Red Bulls |
1989-90 | Todd Haskins | Ellicott, MD | Retired from D.C. United |
1988-89 | Chris Henderson | Everett, WA | Retired from New York Red Bulls |
1987-88 | Lyle Yorks | Storrs Mansfield, CT | Retired from D.C. United |
1986-87 | John Gwin | Boise, ID | Played for Duke University |
1985-86 | Kevin Hundelt | Florissant, MO | Retired from St. Louis Steamers |
About Gatorade
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