Athlete Spotlight: James Wood High School Girls’ Soccer Player Emily Denton

Posted: March 29, 2016

Emily Denton
James Wood High School 18-year-old senior

Sport: Soccer. Position: Forward

Parents: Kevin and Karyn Denton. Hometown: Born in Jacksonville, Fla., moved to Winchester as first-grader

What do you love about soccer I’m a very competitive person. Playing soccer, I love the team dynamic — depending on your teammates and playing for your teammates. It’s not just you out there. Knowing that other people are counting on me to do my job pushes me to do my best.

Most memorable moment in soccer: When my travel team [VSA Elite] won the Disney Showcase [in Orlando, Fla.]. That tournament does a great job making a big deal when you win. I felt that was the best I ever played.

Most embarrassing moment in soccer: They’re the little moments when you get beat and you feel let down by that — those defensive mistakes which are definitely my biggest weakness.

Three people you can have dinner with, dead or alive: John Green, he is an author and makes YouTube videos with his brother. He is very smart and I like the philosophical things he has to say in his books; my favorite author Lisa T. Bergren; Ed Sheeran, he’s one of my favorite musicians and for our generation he has a lot more to say with his music than other artists.

If you were stranded on an island, what’s the one thing you’d want to have with you: My Bible so that I could dwell on that instead of my situation.

Favorite athlete: Mia Hamm, she and the other 1999ers were such a big inspiration to me and made women’s soccer big.

Favorite sports team: U.S. women’s national soccer team.

Best live sporting event you’ve been to: U.S. women’s national team vs. Canada in Washington, D.C. We got to sit field side close to the field. The atmosphere was amazing and one of the players was so close I could see the color of her nails.

Favorite movie: “Pride and Prejudice”

Favorite book: “Waterfall” by Lisa T. Bergren

Favorite song:“Let It Go” by James Bay

Plans after high school: I’m considering several different colleges. I’m tentatively saying I want to go into occupational therapy. My biggest thing is I just want to directly make a difference in people’s lives and want to help them however I can.