Volkswagen All-Star Spotlight: Atlas L​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‍​‍‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌‍‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‍‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍​‌‍‍​​​‌‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‍‍​‌‍​‌‌​‍​‌‌​‍‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌​‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‍​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌​‌‌‌​​‌‍‍‍‌‍​‌​‍​‍‌‌‍‌‍​‌​‍​‌​‌‌‍​‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌​​​​‍​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌‌‌‌​‍‌‍​​‌‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​​‌​‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‍​‍‌‌​​‍‌​‌‍‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‍‌‍​‍‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‍‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌‍​‌‌‍‍‌‍​‌‍‍​​​‌‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‍‍​‌‍​‌‌​‍​‌‌​‍‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌​‌‌​​‍‌‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‌​‌​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‍​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌​‌‌‌​​‌‍‍‍‌‍​‌​‍​‍‌‌‍‌‍​‌​‍​‌​‌‌‍​‌‌‌‌‌‍‌‌​​​​‍​​‍‌‌​​‍​​‍​‍‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‍‍‌‍‍​‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‍‍‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‌

Atlas Lacy – Age 10

 

Atlas loves soccer and sees it as a simple game that’s not confusing. You’ve got two teams. Only one ball. No hands. And all you need to do is get it in the goal. Soccer has done so much for Atlas. It’s helped to build friendships and become more extroverted. He’s become more comfortable with losing and winning by enhancing healthy competitiveness. In addition, it’s given him a welcomed opportunity to spend more quality time with his Dad playing soccer together. It has also broken his habit of playing video games all day!

 

Who is your favorite U.S. Soccer player and why?

My favorite Soccer player is Christian Pulisic. He just plays because he enjoys the sport. He sets his own personal goals because he knows what he wants to accomplish, for himself and to help his team. Those are very good attributes for a team player and leader.

 

Why do you love soccer?

Soccer is the best! It builds team work to help kids. It also helps me with strength and agility with my other sports, as well as sports I may consider taking up later in life. Soccer also serves as great exercise and can be played year-round. It’s also a sport with an estimated 3. 5 BILLION fans worldwide.

 

What is the most important lesson you have learned from playing sports?

For me, nothing can replace good, old-fashioned, hard work. When I play a sport, the only way to stay on top of my game is to work hard and practice. I’ve learned the importance of teamwork, team building, and trust. Being able to work well with others is crucial for any kid that wishes to succeed in life.

 

What are you most looking forward to this Fall?

Aside from doing well in school, I look forward to going to soccer games here in Nashville and playing soccer in my community.

 

Who inspires you the most and why?

My parents inspire me most. They work hard to make a living for my sister and I. They are great examples for both of us. Both encourage me to do what’s right, respect my family and friends, and always strive hard in everything that I do.

 

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I plan to go to medical school to become a surgeon. We have two medical schools here in Nashville. I really love helping people and that makes this world a better place.

 

What or who are you thankful for?

When I wake up, I always start my day with a little gratitude as soon as my feet hit the floor.  I have been very grateful for my Mom and Dad who constantly remind me to do well in school, respect my teachers at school, and look out for my sister. Also, they make sure I drink lots of water to remain healthy during these crazy and stressful times.

 

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