Each month, Montgomery High School Athletic Director Kris Grundy polls local coaches to select a female and male scholar athlete to spotlight in The Montgomery News. Each Athlete of the Month will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to The Tiger’s Tale.
From left: MHS Field Hockey player Sophia Gomez and MHS soccer player are the October athletes of the month.
Simon Decruppe
Team Captain Simon Decruppe has been part of the MHS soccer family for four years, during which time he has emerged as one of the quintessential leaders of the program, according to Soccer Coach and MHS teacher Rickey Steeb.
“Simon’s work ethic and team-first mentality serve as an example for all and set him apart from many athletes in our conference. He is a force on the field and always looks towards how the team can function as one to maximize success.”
Decruppe was born in Metz, France, and moved to the Montgomery area with his parents (Elise and Paul) in 2014 when he was six years old.
“I didn’t know a word of English when I first moved here,” he told The Montgomery News during a telephone interview. “My parents wanted me and my sisters to have a new [international] experience.”
His sisters, Elsa, 20, and Emilie, 23, are both MHS grads. His father, Paul Decruppe, an IS senior technical lead at Firmenich, is part of the reason why he plays soccer.
“My dad used to play,” Decruppe said. “I wanted to carry on the legacy.” His favorite team is PSG, (Paris Saint-Germain Football Club). His favorite player is Cristiano Ronaldo.
Simon Decruppe (10). His hat trick led Montgomery to a recent 5-2 win over Somerville in Skillman.
The move to Bead Mead has been positive for Decruppe. He said the Montgomery schools are “great.” “I’ve attended four or five others schools and I can say the teachers here really good. Also, Coach Steeb is a great coach — the best I’ve ever had.
“I try to play my best. I really want to prove that I’m worthy of a starting position, and worthy of the team,” he said.
Decruppe started playing soccer when he was four years old, so he has 13 years of experience now. He is known for scoring. “I’m happy I got the hat trick. There is hopefully a lot more to come!”
Decruppe is in the process of applying to colleges. He would like to stay on the East Coast, and will apply to Rutgers University to study business or marketing.
Sophia Gomez
Field Hockey Coach Molly Girt nominated Sophia Gomez for athlete of the month. “Sophia is a formidable field hockey player, and she is a passionate leader and captain,” said Coach Girt, who is also an 8th grade math teacher at UMS.
“Sophia cares deeply for the program and her teammates. She carries the weight of being a senior captain with grace and leads by example, always giving her all every minute she is on the field, in both practices and games.”
Gomez, who has lived in Belle Mead since first grade, committed to Catholic University in Washington, D.C., where she will likely study nursing while playing field hockey. S
he mentioned during a telephone interview with The Montgomery News that she may want to follow in the footsteps of her mother, Ria Gomez, who is a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) and practices at several local hospitals.
“I don’t know what my major will be for sure, but one of the reasons I chose Catholic University is the nursing program,” Gomez said. Nursing as a career is a demanding field. “When I was younger, I never understood how hard my mother works. She has inspired me. It’s a job a lot of people value and appreciate.”
Sophia Gomez in action. (Photo by Douglas Herring)
Gomez attributed her strong work ethic, both in the classroom and on the field, to her mother. “When I do good stuff on the [hockey] field, it’s not because it came easy for me. I work hard every day,” she said. “Some are naturally good. But I have learned that working hard can get you in the same place. “It’s just as special to have a strong work ethic and determination, perhaps more so, than having natural talent.”
Gomez started playing field hockey for the Montgomery school district in 7th grad at UMS. “My mom had actually put me in a clinic when I was in sixth grade. I hated it. But as I kept doing it, I found my love for it. So, I thank her for doing that.
Both of my parents played a big role in helping me to get to where I am today.” Her father, Lou Gomez, works as a detective. Her sister, Maddie, a sophomore at MHS, is also on the field hockey team.
“What do I like about field hockey? My coaches!” she said. "They are really most of the reason I fell in love with it. It also puts me in a better mood.”
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