With the seniors making their final stretch in their last semester at West, senior Arun Krishna is sure to leave his mark. Krishna has played soccer his whole life and has captured the title of captain of the boys varsity soccer team. Krishna is continuing his athletic and academic career at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

Krishna began playing soccer at a young age, falling in love with the sport. With Kirshna’s dedication and skill for soccer, he soon made varsity his junior year. Working hard on and off the field, he improved daily, and soon became team captain.

“Arun has shown great leadership skills throughout my four years of knowing him. He pushes the players around him to try their hardest and encourages them to take part in team activities. Arun constantly asked his teammates to join him for workouts, pick-up soccer, and extra training. Arun leads by example by constantly trying his best,” Boys Varsity Soccer Coach Thomas Villamil said.

Villamil met Krishna during his freshman year, as Villamil was once the freshman A coach. Villamil has known Krishna for four years, watching him improve daily.

“I have seen great growth from Arun over the last four years. During his freshman year, he was more timid and shy. He did not want to make mistakes, so he wouldn’t push past his limit. Now in his senior year at the varsity level, we see Arun expressing his skills on the field with no boundaries. He communicates with his teammates efficiently; he tries to take on defenders constantly and fights on the field until the last minute,” Villamil said.

During Krishna’s time on the team, he made friendships with his teammates. Sophomore Alex Navarro remembers how Krishna was always a leader for the team.

“Krishna was a very nice person to have on our team. He was always kind and lightened the mood. Not only is he a good friend, but he is also a very good captain to have. Even though our team had our moments, he always stayed positive and tried to make sure everyone else was,” Navarro said.

Through Krishna’s time at West, he has not only joined soccer but also the Ping Pong club, South Asian Students Association club and another sport, track. He plans to take the lessons from his coaches and teachers to the next chapter of his life.

“I learned a lot from my time at West, but mainly on the soccer team. When I became captain, it taught me many valuable skills. It taught me how to be a leader, which gives me leadership skills that I am sure to use in the future. Overall, in the years I’ve been on the team, it has been an enjoyable experience,” Krishna said.