RISING STAR: Vicki DiMartino, Albertson Fury

• by Bryan Alvarez  @somuser, Jan 1, 2009

Vicki DiMartino played spectacularly for the U.S. national team in the U-17 World Cup in November. She scored in five straight games, helping the U.S. finish second. She is spending her holidays -- for the fourth year in a row -- at the Disney Soccer Showcase playing with her club team, Albertson Fury. Vicki will be attending Boston College next year where she'll join her sister Gina. Her eldest sister, Christina, just finished her senior year at UCLA. Learn more about Vicki in our Rising Star profile

VICKI DIMARTINO:
POSITION: Forward
AGE: 17
HOMETOWN: Massapequa Park, NY
YOUTH CLUB: Albertson Fury
COLLEGE: Boston College (Vicki will be a freshman next year)
INTERNATIONAL: U.S. U-17 national team
STARTING OUT: My sisters used to play all the time in the backyard. I just followed what my sisters did. I loved it.
EARLY SOCCER MEMORY: I don't really have one memory. We had small fun and games in the backyard. It got intense sometimes, too. My dad would have to break it up.
FIRST CLEATS: Nikes, Mia Hamm's. I'm very superstitious. I keep all my cleats.
CURRENT CLEATS: Nike Legends
OTHER SPORTS: Basketball
FAVORITE TEAMS: N.Y. Giants, N.Y. Mets, Manchester United, College basketball.
FAVORITE PLAYER: Michael Jordan
FAVORITE MOVIES: Elf, Dumb and Dumber
FAVORITE ACTOR: Keanu Reeves
FAVORITE ACTRESS: Julia Roberts
FAVORITE TV SHOW: One Tree Hill
MOST INFLUENTIAL COACH: Paul Riley. He goes out of his way to help me. He sets up my training schedule. Sometimes I train with the boy's teams. It's a totally different game. It's really high pace.
PLAYING OVER THE HOLIDAYS: I don't really mind. I've been playing in the Disney Showcase for four years. Soccer is my first priority.
BEING AWAY FROM HOME: I'm always used to traveling.
HOBBIES: Play cards, tennis, bike rides, cooking, reading.
MUSIC: Whatever music is on, I like. My favorite group is Jack's Mannequin.
READING: "The Pact" by Jodi Picoult is my favorite book. I'm also reading many books by Mary Higgins Clark.
VACATION: I always wanted to go to Hawaii. I loved New Zealand when I was there. I would love to go there again.
FAMOUS PEOPLE YOU'D INVITE TO DINNER: Lauren Conrad, Marta.