Female Athlete Profile: Angelica Chou, Soccer, Basketball, Track

Sophomore Angelica Chou played two varsity sports — basketball and track — as a freshman, and recently added another, soccer, forcing her to make a tough decision. Soccer and basketball both take place during the winter season, so Chou has had to decide each year which one to play for Menlo.

Last year, Chou was on the girls’ basketball team and earned All West Bay Athletic League Honorable Mention honors for her efforts. This year, however, Chou will not be playing basketball for Menlo in favor of soccer.

Basketball has been a part of Chou’s life for a very long time. “My family is a basketball family,” she said. Chou has always been around basketball, though she plays more casually than she does with soccer. Chou’s family values basketball, but soccer has always taken priority. On top of playing for Menlo, Chou plays high level club soccer almost year-round. 

Chou started playing soccer when she was only 5 years old, and now plays club soccer for Bay Area Surf with three of her Menlo teammates: junior Lila Gold and sophomores Dorothy Zhang and Roya Rezaee. Before Surf, Chou played at Mountain View Los Altos Soccer Club. She had been with the club for eight years and was looking for a change, which was why she decided to move from MVLA to Surf. “I just wanted a new environment,” she said.

Many of Chou’s best memories in soccer are celebrating with her MVLA teammates after scoring goals. However, in basketball, Chou didn’t feel the same joy when celebrating with her team. “I just never enjoyed it as much,” she said.

Part of the decision not to play basketball for Menlo this year was also for Chou to prioritize her aspirations of playing soccer beyond high school. As athletes get older, the recruiting process becomes more serious, so she wanted to devote her time in the hopes of playing collegiate soccer. 

Chou’s coaches have made it easier for her to feel comfortable setting large goals for herself. “Since I was young, I’ve had to grow to [the] level [they expected of me],” she said. Especially with her coaches’ expectations, the idea of continuing her soccer career just made sense. “They led me to understanding that there would be [a college] path.”

Along with making it clear to Chou that college soccer could be a reality, her coaches reinforced the work that it would take to do so. She has internalized that idea and applies it to her athletic endeavors. Chou understands the importance of hard work and prioritizing certain elements, such as Menlo or club soccer, and of training in order to maintain her physical health and strength. In addition, Chou does auxiliary conditioning and weightlifting in order to improve and achieve her goals. 

With her entry into Menlo soccer, Chou made the decision to give up basketball and risk injury before club soccer, a choice she had been going back and forth with for a while. Her spring club season is very important in terms of recruiting, and she needs to ensure that she remains healthy and strong. The conflicting aspect comes from what she loves about the sport: being with and celebrating with her team. High school seasons can also tend to have less pressure than club seasons, and Chou is excited to get more reps for her upcoming club season and to have fun playing soccer with her friends. 

Following preseason and early league play for the varsity girls’ soccer team, Chou has earned recognition for her star play. She was named a Top Northern California Star for her five goals in two wins against Woodside Priory and Harker and was recognized on the Honor Roll by the San Mateo Daily Journal.