In this episode of Inside Westchester Soccer, we sit down with midfielder Aleksei Armas to discuss his unique journey through the game, growing up in the professional soccer world as the son of former U.S. Men’s National Team captain and coach Chris Armas while working to create his own path as a player.
This interview dives into Aleksei’s upbringing around the game, the lessons he learned from watching his father navigate both playing and coaching careers, and how those experiences helped shape his own approach to soccer. We discuss his collegiate career at Adelphi University and Hofstra University, the challenges of forging his own identity in the sport, and the mentality required to reach the professional level.
Aleksei opens up about the influence his family has had on his development, the sacrifices and setbacks he’s faced along the way, and the importance of staying true to himself while pursuing his professional ambitions. We also discuss his experience joining Westchester SC, representing the club in its inaugural season, and the goals he continues to chase as he looks to make his mark in the professional game.
Four Things We Learned
- Background
- Son of Chris Armas → played professional soccer who spent a while at the New York Red Bulls.
- Aleksei grew up with soccer everywhere. He went to the locker rooms, met the players, and learned the game from a professional view point from a young age
- Started at Adelphi University on Long Island
- Ended up transferring to Hofstra to play D1. The decision was outside of his comfort zone, but Aleksei wanted to push and grow as a player
- Westchester Soccer Club is Aleksei’s first professional team
- Plays central defensive midfielder
- Challenges
- Plays tough position → lots of physical and mental fatigue
- Early senior year at Hofstra, Aleksei had a knee injury that affected him more than he thought. It got to the point where he didn’t know if he could go pro. He went into recovery with the mindset of putting his head down, focusing on recovery, and working as hard as he can
- During Aleksei’s first few weeks with Westchester, he was struggling to play the best he could. He said his legs weren’t working the way they were supposed to, and his brain was fogged up, which definitely affected his confidence on and off the field.
- Mentality
- Describes his game as relentless
- Enjoys the fans→ stays to sign autographs and never leaves someone there. Always make sure to clap hands even at away games
- Loves to be around people and feels it is super important to give good energy back to the fans
- “Control the controllables” → Aleksei lives by this quote that his dad always says to him
- Aleksei says it’s important to trust your skills and trust the abilities. When there are off days of game for Aleksei, he speaks to those who love him and watches old clips of himself playing to remind him who he is and the talent he has.
- “If you are going to do something, do it right.” Aleksei also holds this quote from his grandfather close to his heart. His grandfather worked in the same job for 60 years and would show up early and leave late. The dedication and care always inspired Aleksei and applied it to his career.
- Routine
- Aleksei cares a lot about the care for his body before and after a game. A normal day for him is practice, home, recover, and take care of his body. In his offseason, he does strength training to maintain a strong physical build
- When days are tough for Aleksei mentally, he talks to family, friends, and girlfriend, who really understand him. This is a decompressor for his emotions and keeps him in check.
