Dahna Tapia’s love of soccer has propelled her into a leadership role.

“When I was younger, I used to play soccer. It was just very like casual. I’d go with my dad to the park just to kick a ball,” Tapia said.

She is captain of the Girls Varsity team at The Young Women’s Leadership School of Astoria in Queens. Dahna says soccer was the very first High School team she tried out for.

“It was just a great experience getting to play with girls from all ages,” she said. “I was, I think, around like 14, so I was one of the youngest ones. And then my other teammates were 18. So it was just a learning experience with them and coming together. It really didn’t matter your grade, your age, it was just coming together to play the sport.”

Her coach, Jerry Kokkinos, says he met Tapia in her sophomo

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