Scholar Athlete: Alexa Beets hopes to push Long Beach girls to a state title

LONG BEACH, MS (WLOX) - Alexa Beets knows what it takes to be a champion. For her, knowing the pain of a loss is the biggest driving force to go forward and win.

"The win," she said. "I love winning. Something about losing, just, I don't like. So it makes me play so much better just to think that I could lose. When we lost the state championship last year, I didn't like that feeling so I took that and brought it on to this season to try to get a state championship."

Alexa is a senior defensive back for the Long Beach girls soccer team. Defense is a position she feels at home playing.

"I like to be able to see the field and help lead my teammates," Beets said. "If someone in the midfield needs help, I see that and I can help tell them what they need to do on the field."

While she's a standout player, she also excels in the classroom. Alexa is top ten in her class and sports a 4.0 GPA. No matter what's happening on the field, her focus is her studies.

"Today, gameday, I might not get home until late," she said. "So I might be exhausted from a long game but if I have stuff to do academically I have to get it done and there's just no excuse. If you're going to be a student athlete you have to fulfill both."

But once she laces up her shoes, she's all business.

"I'm hoping to go to state again," said Beets. "Maybe get a state championship since we fell short of that just a little bit last season. I definitely think that this team has the potential to do just as good if not better."

Following her senior year, Alexa will join her sister Maddie at Pearl River Community College. But leaving her Long Beach teammates will still be tough.

"Excited to move on but sad to leave all these people," Beets said. "Not just the coaches but the staff at Long Beach High School, great teachers, great people. I'm gonna miss that but you have to move on in life."

Something Alexa believes will be a good move for her in soccer, and in life.

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