Woodside Soccer Players Heading for College and Professional Futures

Dedication is a big quality in many of the soccer players here at Woodside, many play both club and school soccer. With school being another demanding subject in the lives of these players, their time management and multitasking skills have been mastered. Each player is highly talented and evokes strong characteristics of teamwork and family. Desire is what seems to drive these young men to becoming professional athletes one day.

Danya Kafai, first discovered his passion for soccer when he was six, and continues to show his ardour for the elusive sport by putting forth his best effort.  He has kicked his freshman year off to a great start. The dedicated player showed off his raw talent and was accepted onto the varsity team at Woodside. According to the team members, he is the youngest player to join the team. Also known for being on the Juventus CRS Elite team, the young athlete has played in many national tournaments, proving his strong character on the field. “Midfield is the heart of the game,” exclaimed Kafai, proposing that the position he plays in soccer is the most imposing of the game. As the talented midfielder has presented his agile style of play, his hopes of him becoming a professional race through his mind.

“Soccer is life,” according to senior Michael Linares, a varsity player for Woodside and who hopes to attend the University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB). According to Linares, scouts from UCSB attended Cerrito’s Memorial Cup in 2009, and his command of the field left the scouts with the impression of a true athlete on the horizon. “Once I could walk, I started to kick the ball around,” confessed the passionate athlete, hoping that one day his dreams of becoming professional would become true. He says that the opportunity to play soccer “has impacted my life a lot because it has made me change my way of thinking. I’m where I want to be. Now it’s time to take advantage of the situation.” Willing to do whatever it takes, this diligent player has taken the initiative to “go to college and do better in school and life itself,” as though he got himself a chance to try out for a potential spot on the team for UCSB Division 1 soccer team. His tryouts were held on December 31st at Santa Barbara, and the powerful midfielder now waits hopefully.

“With hard work and perseverance, we will be on top” claimed varsity player, Aldo Ramirez. This Woodside junior has been playing soccer since he was 12-years-old and has not stopped since. The player expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming season saying, “I think we will have a good season.” Ramirez is also a part of Juventus Sports Club. The athlete prefers club soccer over school soccer because, “it is year-round and [the] tournaments are fun.” The athlete believes this “hard-working” sport will benefit him in many ways in his his future.

Senior, Bernie Garibay sees soccer as a beneficial gateway for learning the fundamentals of “communication, leadership, discipline, and teamwork.” The defender also plays for the Winchester League outside of school, but prefers playing soccer for Woodside “because it is more competitive.” He hopes soccer can take him to college to further his education. Garibay expects this upcoming season to be “great” and believes Woodside might have the upper hand this year because “[they’ve] got many new players.”

Midfielder, Victor Anguiano has been given the quality of determination through soccer to do better. Soccer has changed his views on life by actually making him want “a career.” He has played the sport he loves since he was five-years-old. Although he realized his skill level was not on par with the highest skilled players, his hopes of becoming a sports announcer have still kept him involved in a sport that has positively influenced his decisions in life. Anguiano also spends his time playing for club sports team, Madera Roja. Even though soccer is “challenging,” he keeps his head held high for the opportunities it provides.

All of these players, and many others here at Woodside, have exceptional talent that should be closely considered by college scouts and representatives. Soccer has changed the lives of these players and a lot of other young men. With sheer confidence, these players believe that they are off to a great start for this season and for their college futures.