大象APP

The Douglas High School sophomore is more on the reserved side, some would even say she鈥檚 shy.

But once the varsity soccer goalkeeper gets in the net, all that timidness flies out the window.

鈥淓ven though she鈥檚 young, she鈥檚 very vocal on the field,鈥� said Mario Romero, the head coach of Douglas鈥� girls varsity soccer team. 鈥淥nce she鈥檚 on the field, you see the competitor in her and stuff. And she鈥檚 very good. It鈥檚 amazing to watch her.鈥�

Romero has played a big role in the Bulldogs鈥� 11-1 overall record, plus going undefeated in their region and conference.

In 12 regular season games, Romero has completed 95 saves (127 total if you include the Time to Fly Soccer Classic). She recorded 15 and 17 saves during the team鈥檚 wins against Safford and Tanque Verde high schools and 15 saves during their only loss against Buena High School. The current national average is 34 saves.

Her saves record has landed her spots on local, state and national leaderboards.

She鈥檚 currently No. 1 in the 4A Gila division, No. 16 in Arizona and No. 97 nationally.

Earning those spots is no easy feat in the high-intensity game of soccer. But, Romero isn鈥檛 fazed by the pressure.

Instead, she uses that pressure as a tool to learn and improve.

鈥淚 know some people are like, 鈥業t鈥檚 a difficult job鈥� and while it really is a difficult job, I just take into mind if something happens, it could end up being a team effort or whatever (to save the game),鈥� she said. 鈥淏ut with the pressure, I just go and do it, but obviously, there will always be pressure because if the ball is past you, it鈥檚 a go on you and it may result into a loss. So, I just enjoy the game and really don鈥檛 think about it as much. I think about it more in the beginning and at the end and what I could fix and what I like to do.鈥�

Romero is a lifelong soccer player, who got her start playing with her dad鈥檚 team when she was a kid. She鈥檚 been a goalkeeper ever since.

For her, soccer is almost like a form of therapy.

鈥淪ometimes your body is tired and you鈥檙e tired and you have school and you have a lot of stuff to do, but I just push through,鈥� she said. 鈥淪ometimes soccer is my relief.鈥�

Romero joined the varsity soccer team at the beginning of her freshman year. Coach Romero, who has been coaching at Douglas for over a decade (and has no relation to America Romero), immediately knew she was the right fit for the team.

鈥淪he鈥檚 dynamic, bottom line,鈥� Coach Romero said.

Coach Romero says that America often tells other players where they need to be during a match, something he hasn鈥檛 seen previously.

鈥淪he already has that role model leadership (trait) and on top of things, she鈥檚 very humble,鈥� added Gilbert Aguilar, the team鈥檚 assistant coach. 鈥淪he doesn鈥檛 understand the position she鈥檚 in right now, not just academically (she has a 3.9 GPA), but also as an athlete, she doesn鈥檛 realize that because, to her, it鈥檚 鈥業鈥檓 just playing soccer, I鈥檓 a goalie.鈥� But in truth, she鈥檚 a very unique human being with compassion and she has a big heart.鈥�

Over the last couple of years, Douglas Soccer has been on quite the ride. In the 鈥�22-鈥�23 season, they went 3-9 overall, followed by 7-5 in 鈥�23-鈥�24 to 11-1 this season.

鈥淲e鈥檙e in a situation right now where good things are happening for us with this team,鈥� Coach Romero said. 鈥淏ecause let me tell you, two years ago, we took it in the shorts for the whole season. 鈥� We needed a Band-Aid to stop the bleeding.鈥�

Now, the team has a real chance at winning the state championship.

鈥淲ho wouldn鈥檛 want to win state? I want to win state,鈥� Romero said. 鈥淎nd hopefully, maybe it will be this year, I don鈥檛 know, but hopefully we get farther, if anything, and make history.鈥�

Their first step toward that goal begins this week as they take on Scottsdale鈥檚 Notre Dame Prep on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

Although Romero is only a sophomore and still has two years left before graduation, she鈥檚 already thinking about what she wants to do after high school.

There鈥檚 no question about playing soccer at the college level for Romero. That鈥檚 her biggest priority. She says she鈥檇 love to play for UCLA.

Ultimately, she wants to become an orthodontist, something that was inspired by her love of making rubber band bracelets.

Before then, she might make a stop at Cochise College. But she鈥檚 not super worried about her college choices at the moment because the possibilities are endless this early in the game.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been doing great,鈥� Romero said of her sophomore season. 鈥淟ast year, we had good games and I had a lot more saves, but this year, I still have a good amount of saves but not as much, which means that my team has been doing so much better. So, it鈥檚 just amazing, because, (for example), yesterday, everybody expected us not to win, but we ended up pulling that one. And it鈥檚 just amazing how far we get and how we prove everyone wrong every single time.鈥�

Fast five with America

Who is your favorite soccer player?

Guillermo 鈥淢emo鈥� Ochoa

What player is on your dream soccer team?

Alex Morgan

Where is your dream place to play soccer?

Estadio Azteca in Mexico City

What鈥檚 your favorite pre-match snack?

A Bueno chocolate

What鈥檚 your favorite class right now?

Sports medicine