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Mount Mercy Academy's Parisi is Up to the Challenge

by cnewman

Madeline Parisi has made steady improvements this season. Jeff Barnes/Metro Source.
Madeline Parisi has made steady improvements this season. Jeff Barnes/Metro Source.

You put down and challenge in front of Maddie Parisi, she won't just take it. She'll complete it.

Parisi, a sophomore who is in her second season of varsity soccer with the Mt. Mercy Magic, is the type of player that causes their coach to wear and ear-to-ear smile.

Not just because of what she does on the field, but more so because of her willingness to do whatever is asked of her.

"She's not scared of anything and she's a great athlete," said Mt. Mercy coach John Glose. "She's plays real physical, she's a tough girl and she proves it every single day - because in our league, we have some very good players. And every single time I have her mark one of the very best players on the other team. She never backs down and she plays real, real hard and I think she likes the challenge."

As tough and tenacious of a player as you will ever come across, Parisi doesn't just accept her role as the Magic's lock-down defender. She relishes it and sees each game as a personal challenge to keep her mark off the scoreboard.

"I just tell myself that basically I can do it," Parisi said. "Even though sometimes I don't even think I can. My teammates, they support me a lot and they just always tell me that I can do it and that I'm good, even when I mess up. So my teammates are a lot of help."

Parisi's shining moment of the season, and perhaps her career, came on Sept. 15 when the Magic gave defending state champion Nichols all they could handle in a 1-0 loss.

Parisi did a brilliant job of containing Catherine Williams all afternoon as Williams' lone tally came as a result of a free kick. Even Catherine's father, John Williams, remarked that he thought Parisi did an outstanding job of shadowing Catherine.

Having the skill to keep pace with the best players in the league from the word go, Glose said that Parisi may have been a bit timid early on. But in no time she found her varsity voice, and the Magic found a top-notch player they could count on.

"She was a little intimidated, I think, as a freshman. But she learned a lot," said Glose. "She asks for the challenge, she wants it and she knows she's going to get it, too."

Parisi is also wise enough to pick the brains of older, more experienced, teammates like Rebecca Alvira for advice on how to improve her game.

"She is always telling me that I'm doing a good job," said Parisi. "And she has really good tips to help, too because she's a really good soccer player."

But it isn't just the people in the Mt. Mercy soccer family that are singing Parisi's praises, as opposing coaches and players often remark how impressed they were by Maddie's play.

"Her work ethic and her non-stop 80 minutes of just playing extremely hard and just playing aggressive," said Glose. "And she is getting noticed by a lot of the coaches. After every game someone is saying something to me about how well she played."

"Mount Mercy has positively changed my life forever. Through the inviting community, I was able to grow as a woman, as a daughter, as a friend, and as a member of society. Throughout my time here I have gained an education in both academic areas and life in general through the school's ongoing efforts to educate students on gender inequality, racial injustice, and environmental crisis'. Furthermore, Mercy has given me the space to gain confidence that 4 years ago I never would have guessed I would have. Mount Mercy has helped me take that initial step toward becoming the strong woman of color I am today. At Mercy you are more than just a student, you are whoever you wish to be."

Melina Courtney

Class of 2022

"My future, success, and the ability to be an empowered woman in society come from Mount Mercy. My school is a strong foundation for my role in life. From attending Mount Mercy, I can say with confidence, that I will graduate with the mindset that I can accomplish anything. Mercy is my home and my sanctuary to be whoever I want. Mount Mercy has been bringing forth generations of strong intellectual women into the world, and I am more than honored to be one of them. Mercy teaches girls more than academics, but also about the world around us. As a mercy community, we give back to the world because it is our home. From my four years at Mercy, I have been educated on pushing for equality and peace and the understanding that there is no limit to what I can do. I have the confidence to go out in the world and make a difference because being a Mercy girl has given me that opportunity. "

Cassidy Reid

Class of 2022

"Mercy is more than just a school. Mercy is my second home and a shoulder to lean on. Mount Mercy has given me the confidence and resources to pursue my passions and make the world a more inclusive place, propelling me to take strides into male-dominated fields. Mercy blessed me with an environment to grow intellectually and in the community, giving me the foundation to make a tangible impact while making lifelong friendships."

Adrianna Awald

Class of 2022

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