We are excited to announce that this week’s Player of the Week is Rebecca Block of Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. A senior captain for Episcopal Academy, Rebecca has been instrumental in leading her team to a strong 4-1 start this season.
Rebecca has already established herself as one of the premier midfielders on both the state and national stages. This past spring, she traveled to Spain to represent the USA Under-18 team in the Four Nations Tournament. Her high school accolades are equally impressive: she was named to the All-Pennsylvania First Team in both 2023 and 2024, as well as the National High School Invitational Second Team in those same years. Still, Rebecca emphasizes that what matters most to her is not the recognition she receives off the field, but the contributions she makes on it.
Playing center midfield comes with unique challenges, particularly the constant balance between attacking and defending. “If I take on a more attacking role, the defense behind me is under more pressure. But if I take on a more defensive role, I’m not helping on attack as much,” Rebecca explained. Despite this challenge, she enjoys the position because it allows her to influence play all over the field.
Rebecca’s impact extends well beyond game day. Episcopal Academy head coach Paul Zelenak praised her leadership, noting that she keeps the team accountable during practices and games. He described her as a player who “leads by example by giving 100% for 60 minutes, every game.”
One of the highlights of the season so far came in Episcopal’s 1-0 win over then-national No. 1 The Hill School. “In my four years at Episcopal, we had never beaten Hill—it was a very emotional win,” Rebecca shared. She described the game as gritty and mentally tough, but credited her team for pulling together to secure the victory. Episcopal has also earned a 2-0 shutout over national No. 8 West Essex and a win over Archbishop Carroll. Across those three key games, Rebecca tallied four goals and two assists.
Looking ahead to the National High School Invitational, Rebecca and her teammates face tough matchups against Christian Academy of Louisville and Sacred Heart Greenwich—two storied programs that will present major challenges. But with Rebecca’s work ethic and leadership, paired with her team’s toughness and grit, Episcopal will certainly be one to watch this weekend and throughout the rest of the season.
