Defending with Heart

For the girls varsity soccer team, Jayden Quintana (11) is a name worth knowing. Quintana might have only started playing soccer in 7th grade, but since then the sport has become one of the most important experiences of her life.

“The relationships you gain from playing soccer is definitely what made me fall in love with it. There are girls on the team I have never talked to or would have never even met if I didn’t play…,” Quintana said.

Quintana plays right back defence, a position that requires plenty of toughness, quick thinking, and confidence. Quintana admits that the role is not easy, but she pushes herself to keep on improving.

“It is a position that you have to think very fast in and take action as soon as you see it needed… When I first joined the team last year I wasn’t able to do half of the things I can do now. All the practice and communication really helps out,” Quintana said.

Ever since she started her soccer journey, Quintana says that her biggest supporters are her parents.They motivate Quintana and help her to improve and learn from her mistakes. The same can be said about Quintana’s teammates. She describes them as more like family than just players on the same team.

“No matter if I have a great game or not so good one they are always there for me to help me and teach me what to do better…We’ve all grown so close together, I couldn’t ask for better teammates,” Quintana said.

 When asking for Quintana’s proudest moments she does not say anything flashy or boastful, instead Quintana talks about her growth as a defender.

“So far my proudest moment on the field is blocking a shot with my body. It stands out to me because it has shown the progress I have made with going to the ball instead of ducking from it since it was coming at me hard,” Quintana said.

Not every game is easy. Quintana thinks back to a tough match against West where she had to battle through not feeling her best.

“I feel like I wasn’t playing to my best potential and let some balls through which caused goals for the other team, but I kept pushing and listened to my body when I needed a break,” Quintana said.

Soccer has taught Quintana valuable lessons about herself both on and off the field. She had to learn to balance school, practices, and games which is not easy. Quintana says that it has also helped her deal with making mistakes and not being so hard on herself. 

“Soccer shaped my character and the way I have approached challenges in life by understanding the challenges student-athletes face with self-criticism and how much they have to do throughout the day,” Quintana said.

Quintana’s soccer journey has given her so many memories and friendships. What started out as trying something new turned out to be something that shaped who she is today. With her teammates by her side and her parents cheering her on, soccer has become the greatest experience of them all.