Introducing WXXV Student Athlete of the Week: Bay High Soccer’s Aiden Boudro!
The phrase “ball is life” couldn’t be more accurate to describe this week’s WXXV Student Athlete of the Week. He’s the Gatorade Player of the Year and a two time All-American and a back-to-back title holder, but where did it all start? Find out by getting to know Bay High School’s Aiden Boudro!
“My old man!” Boudro said. “He made me play. He said I’ve always had a ball at my feet even in the crib. I mean we’ll never know that for sure, but I take his word for it. He’s definitely very proud of me. I’ve got to give it up to him. He has always pushed me to be my best and I take after him in that regard I would say.”
Carrying on his dad’s legacy in more ways than one, Aiden Boudro is a senior forward at Bay High school, where his dad also served as goalie; however it’s a good thing they never played against each other, or else he’d be his father’s worst nightmare in the net with 17 goals just this season, and 72 throughout his career, but one thing they do have in common is their love for the game.
“I love it. There’s nothing else than that I mean what can you say. I just love the game. I love scoring and I love that’s all you can really say,” Boudro said. “I’ve learned a lot. A lot of hardship, a lot of struggles, but it’s led me to who I am today and I’m thankful for it.”
Who he is today isn’t just your average soccer player, but the top male soccer player in the state, receiving Gatorade Player of the Year honors along with All-American honors given by the United Soccer Coaches and USA Today. Boudro says his goal has never been to get the accolades but to help his team win, but the high honors are definitely a bonus.
“I mean I didn’t really expect to get recognized. I’m still going out there and trying to do what I can for the team and they’re doing the same thing. They support me really well. Everybody supports me well. I think it’s a little added bonus to get the accolades along with winning. That’s the main goal.”
With Boudro and the rest of the Tigers on the pitch, that goal is achieved quite often as they currently hold the titles of back-to-back State Championships for the first time in school history.
“We all just want the same thing. It’s definitely drilled into us. We know the feeling of winning last year, most of us do. Some of us know the feeling of winning two, but we’re all looking for the third for sure and we definitely all agree on that,” Boudro said. “We think two is serious but three is a statement, and we want to make that statement and put ourselves in history. That’s what we’ve been working towards all year and we’re going to try our best.”
As Boudro and the Tigers aim for the three-peat in February, another chapter awaits for him in the fall. Aiden will head to North Carolina where he’ll be playing Division I soccer at Davidson College.
“I fell in love with it,” Boudro said. “I really enjoy the coaches, the players, the environment, where I think I’ll be playing and how much I’ll be playing. I just like what they’re going for, what they’re pushing for. It’s a beautiful school with a beautiful campus, academics and all that good stuff.”
Whether he’s playing with the Tigers now or the Wildcats in the future, we know Aiden will continue to live out his dad’s legacy and make him proud.
