Helena Pereira’s love for the game is clearly her own.

It’s also clear that the odds were good that she’d love the game.

Helena is a talented attacking midfielder from FSA Soccer in Connecticut. She is one of the top recruiting prospects nationally in the 2011 graduating class and was a top performer recently at the adidas ESP camp in California, playing alongside other eastern standouts such as Riley Houle, Maria Canicatti, Brittany Ratcliffe, Karin Simonian and Casey Morrison.

Helena’s mother Cindy is a devoted parent and fan of her daughter, but admittedly is the least fanatical about soccer among the three Pereiras She credits a number of attributes with helping Helena achieve a high level of success in her young career.’’

“She is very perseverant. She has a willingness to work hard at anything she does, whether it’s soccer or her studies. She has a God-given ability.”

But Cindy acknowledges one other factor contributing to Helena’s success and devotion.

“Yes, my husband’s love for soccer has translated to her,” she said.

Flavio Pereira is a Brazilian’s Brazilian. He grew up playing all the time in Sao Paulo and even played for the U20 side of professional club Juventude. He also coached in Brazil and moved to the U.S. to do more of the same. He coaches Helena’s high school team and assists her club coach Mick D’Arcy at FSA.

Helena, who watches matches from Brazil on TV with her dad every Sunday, said backyard sessions with her dad have been a big part of her soccer education.

“We’re out there at least twice a week,” she said. “We work on footskills and other things. We have two little goals set up and sometimes we’ll have a neighborhood game.”

Flavio clearly relishes the time with his daughter as well, but he is cognizant of maintaining a balance between a motivating coach and an understanding father.

“As a coach I always think ‘maybe she can do this today.’  A lot of times I’ll have the ball out in the backyard ready to go, and maybe she’s not ready for this now. We have to consider this,” he said. “A lot of parents can act so the children regret playing the game, and that’s not right. They have to do it because they enjoy playing. I don’t remember in my childhood in Brazil ever saying, ‘I have to go now and play soccer.’ You just did it because you loved it and you wanted to do it.”

Helena has enjoyed having her dad as her coach in recreational soccer and previously at hometown Bristol Soccer Club (she switched to FSA at U12).

“It’s kind of nice because I can talk to him easily. He’s very approachable and knows what is going on,” she said. “I never feel like I’m in this alone.”

Helena’s understanding of the game clearly benefits her on the field. Her movement off the ball is as good as her considerable skill on it. She shows quick recognition of situations and usually makes the right decision.

Flavio said his daughter’s acumen as a player helps him in the coach-player relationship.

“As a father it can be a little bit difficult, but she’s very approachable. I can talk to her because her understanding of game is so good,” he said. “If I talk to her about something on the field, because of her vision, she knows what I’m talking about.”

Helena declines to get drawn into a discussion about her goals in soccer.

“We’ll see where it leads me,” she said. “I’m taking it one day at a time.”