View full sizeThe Express-Times 2011 Boys Soccer Player of the Year Gabe Robinson of Easton Area High SchoolThe first impression you might get when meeting Easton Area High School senior soccer player Gabe Robinson is one of a well-mannered young man who gleams a mature attitude not seen in a lot of teenagers.
The first impression you might get when watching Robinson on the pitch is silk, as in smooth, as he uses his speed and tenacity to attack -- or defend -- on whatever third of the soccer field he is asked to play.
If there was one thing that defined Robinson's three-year career at Easton it was his versatility.
Robinson -- the first two-time all-state representative in school history - is The Express-Times 2011 Boys Soccer Player of the Year.
And we haven't even touched on his cooking skills yet.
An outside defender for his New Jersey Red Bulls Academy team, Robinson played all three quarters of the field in his three years at Easton. A center back as a sophomore, a midfielder as a junior and when the Red Rovers needed a goal scorer this season he was moved up to forward.
It took time for Robinson to find his niche this season, as did the team as a whole after losing a lot to graduation, before the 5-foot-8, 145-pounder lifted his team on his back when Easton's postseason hopes were at its most vulnerable.
Robinson scored six goals in four must-win games to close out the regular season to nail down the program's fourth straight LVC playoff berth.
The final goal in that surge was pure Robinson. He took possession of the ball after a mistaken Northampton overlap at midfield and raced in alone to score the only goal of the game.
Next up was Easton's biggest victory of the season when he scored the first two goals of the game -- the first 35 seconds into the contest -- as the Red Rovers beat perennial power and eventual district champ Emmaus 3-2 in the LVC semifinals.
Robinson was also a key component when Easton won its first District 11 championship last season and joined Bob Renfrew (1976) and Tony Ryan (1991) as the Red Rovers' only all-state boys representatives since the PSCA began honoring players in 1972.
Robinson was born in the District of Columbia before moving to College Hill at an early age. He decided to attend La Salle Academy with a lot of his Philadelphia Soccer Club teammates as a freshman in an attempt to create a super power and win a state title. When that didn't pan out for a variety of reasons he came back to Easton for his sophomore season.
Robinson, who is looking at several Eastern colleges to continue his education and career, said playing all over the field in his scholastic career has helped him develop as a player.
Usually a player is given props for moving to the defensive side of the field for the good of the team. Robinson had the luxury of moving to the glamour position, forward, for the good of the team.
Soccer has taken Robinson to Italy a couple times, Canada, West Virginia and Texas to name a few venues. One of the trips to Italy was with an Olympic Development Program and that's how the Red Bulls found out about him.
So what is his special dish that he serves his father John, sister Faith (18) and brother Joshua (15)?
So what is his secret ingredient?
That's Robinson for you, quickly switching back to defense, his natural position, at the drop of a hat.