Athlete Spotlight: James Wood Boys’ Soccer Player Jacob Parrish

James Wood High School 17-year-old junior

Sport: Soccer

Position: Midfielder

Parents: Debbie and Steve Parrish

Hometown: Winchester

What do you love about soccer: I like the contact, especially on defense. I really like the defensive side of soccer.

Biggest strength and weakness in soccer: [Strength], defense. I’m good at winning 50-50 balls. If the ball’s in the air, I can get a head on it, or if somebody’s coming down I can take them and hopefully steal the ball. [Weakness], offense. I have trouble shooting and finishing, and passing it off.

Funniest person on the team: [Senior] Schyler Litten. He always jokes around with everybody. When it’s someone’s birthday, he buys them a card. He bought [James Wood junior] Colin [Watts] a card with a ridiculous math problem in it because [Watts is] insanely smart.

Most memorable moment in soccer: I’d say when we beat Millbrook. (James Wood won 3-2 on May 9 for its first win over a team besides Skyline since 2013.) We’ve improved from last year, and I think that win showed that. Everybody was just ready to go, and I think we were all on the same page and we just gave it our all that game. We possessed pretty well that game.

Most embarrassing moment in soccer: I remember freshman year, the ball came in, and somehow I just went over the goal even though I was only a few feet away.

Favorite athlete: [Portuguese soccer player] Cristiano Ronaldo. He’s so fast, and he’s a great player.

Favorite sports team: Chelsea F.C. Our keeper Cole Morris and I are big fans of them. Every time I play FIFA, I always take them. Their goalie, Peter Cech, is good, Eden Hazard is great. I just like all the players on the team.

Three people you can have dinner with, dead or alive: I have to stretch the rules and go with all the seniors on the soccer team (Tommy Harper, Logan King, Corey King, Alex McLean, Chris Francis, and Litten). I’d like to have a final dinner with them, because they really put in a lot of work this year.

Favorite thing to do in town: Me and my friends like to go hiking and camping.

Best live sporting event you’ve been to: The last sporting event I went to was Jaime Moreno’s last home game at RFK Stadium with D.C. United in 2010. I went to that game with Winchester United — we got free tickets after we won a sportsmanship award. I got to shake his hand after the game and met some of the players. But I’m really looking forward to the Chelsea game this summer on July 28 at FedEx Field.

Plans after high school: I want to go to either Virginia Tech or Virginia Military Institute, and I want to go into engineering. I like building things and finding out how things work.

— Compiled by Robert Niedzwiecki