By Steven Culhane
A senior at Valley Stream South High School, Nolan has excelled in the sport, sculpturing an impressive high school career where he has played on the varsity level for three years. By possessing a frightening combination of speed and strength, along with a sharp vision for the game, Nolan has been able to capture All-County Honors for his outstanding play this season.
Nolan methodically defends his opponents into a state of frustration. With unusual balance and a keen ability to play in front of the ball it is a style that has served him well.
While there have never been doubts about Nolan's abilities, his natural position of "sweeper" can sometimes prohibit the spotlight from shining on such players. With a growing trend among high school coaches to become enchanted solely with goal scorers, Nolan nevertheless seems unfazed by it all.
"It's a team game and I'll do whatever my coach thinks is best for us to win. If he tells me to attack the net, then that's fine. I know it's for a reason and I'll try to help the team however I can", said Nolan.
But clearly Nolan's most enduring attribute doesn't lie in a fancy ability to score goals but in the relentless energy he exhibits on defense. Thriving on man-to-man coverage, Nolan embraces critical situations where he is pitted against the other team's best player.
"I feel like I'm more in my element on defense.... If I can shut down their best scorer than I've done my job," said Nolan. His "lunch-pail" approach has allowed him to become one of the most disruptive defensive forces in the league today.
"Matt is a great kid and works hard every day. Unfortunately, he didn't have a great supporting cast this season so we had to experiment with him on offense more," said South's head coach Rich Boyd. Nolan welcomed the role as he became the team's leading scorer this year.
Although those who have observed Nolan's play will talk about his superior skills, they all overwhelmingly seem to come back to comment about his tremendous heart. Pete Bussa, coach of the Oceanside United Soccer Club, offers nothing short of praise for Nolan.
"Matt is a special kid and there aren't many of his kind out there. I have to tell you there isn't a more coachable player around. He's not the flashiest guy on the field, but he always seems to get the job done. If I had a team full of Matt Nolans, we would win championships every year" says Bussa.
Nolan's earnest qualities can be found off the field as well. He made the Honor Roll in all but one semester during his entire high school tenure. He was also recently selected by Valley Stream South Athletic Director Kenneth Ward for the Outstanding Sportsmanship Award representing his school in a ceremony at Hofstra University.
Surprisingly, Nolan has remained relatively anonymous within the high school soccer community. Never glib or looking for attention, he is uncomfortable talking about himself.
"I'm not the type to solicit myself to others. I always feel things will work out in the end," says Nolan.
His fierce competitive nature combined with impeccable character traits, make Nolan the type of package any college recruiter would drool over. So perhaps this Saturday will be his time to shine when he plays in the Exceptional Senior game at SUNY college in Farmingdale. It is where Nolan, along with other elite soccer players from high schools across Long Island, can display their talents to dozens of college scouts. If they happen to see some bewildered-looking players on the field, chances are it's because Matt Nolan is guarding them.
