Prep boys' soccer: Vieyra enjoys earning assists on, off the field

It's the fancy foot work that catches the eyes.

Alejandro "Chiquis" Vieyra moves along the turf with a masterful control of the ball. The Park City senior can misdirect, pass or shoot with deft wizardry that confounds opposing teams. He does it all at lightning-fast speeds.

Vieyra, who patrols the right sideline, is using his footwork to help lead the Miners to a 6-2-1 record entering the week. But his biggest contribution to Park City is not found on the field. It's found in the halls at Educational Advantage.

As a bilingual student, Vieyra volunteers to help translate for Spanish-speaking students.

"I want everyone to focus on school, and it feels good to help them with problems," Vieyra said. "It's important to work hard, and I am willing to do it."

His passion for learning and helping others is what makes Vieyra a special player, Park City coach Jesse Blais said. The coach applauds Vieyra's work with the Hispanic community to improve their educational futures.

And Blais believes Vieyra's passion for assisting others has helped improve his game. While he has the skill and ability to beat opponents off the ball, Vieyra is transitioning to more of a distributor, setting up other players.

"He's definitely one of the kids that others look up to," Blais said. "He has been a very big motivation for others and also a very well-rounded player."

At a preseason practice, Vieyra told his teammates that he was committed to winning a state title and doing whatever it took to get his team prepared.

"We're hungry for the title," said Vieyra, a team captain. "I told them that I would do anything to win — even if it means practicing every day."

As Vieyra works toward accomplishing his goals, there is something that gnaws at him — beating Wasatch.

The Miners lost in double overtime 2-1 last month, and Park City wants to earn a split when the teams meet again April 19.

"We know we can beat them because we're doing the work," Vieyra said. "If we're going to win state, we're going to have to beat Wasatch." —