As senior Eva Navarro finishes up her last few months at El Rancho High School, she looks back on the memories she has created while strengthening her love for soccer.
Just at five years old, Navarro started playing soccer at the American Youth Soccer Organization, also known as AYSO, at Smith Park. Since the beginning of her soccer career, she has been a goalkeeper, continuing this position up until the end of her 2024-2025 season.
“Even though he didn’t play soccer, my dad was my biggest inspiration growing up. He showed me what having a good work ethic looked like, and was a representation of dedication that I could look up to”, Navarro says. “Some of my favorite memories will always be seeing my dad in the stands at every game, which made me so appreciative of all the support he provided during my time playing.
From elementary through middle school, Navarro would continue to play for soccer teams outside of school, which motivated and flourished her love for the sport even more.
When Navarro arrived at El Rancho as a freshman, she joined the girl’s soccer team, and has grown to be one of the strongest goalkeepers the team has had!
Before moving on to playoffs, the team celebrated their seniors on Feb. 7 and their years of dedication to the program. She was accompanied on the field by her entire family to commemorate her time on the team.
“Throughout my four years, whether it was varsity or JV, I will always cherish having team camaraderie. I’m definitely going to miss being able to play this game, but what I’ll miss most is the relationships that I’ve built playing this sport.”
The girl’s soccer season came to a close on Feb.18 at the CIF-SS Division 2 Quarter-Finals against Warren, but also closed the chapter on Navarro’s soccer journey.
Navarro says, “My experience these last 12 years have taught me a lot about myself in terms of accountability and what I’ve been able to do in times of adversity. A lot of things didn’t go the way I planned, but I believe it only strengthened my character and made me a better person overall.”
After graduating in June, Navarro plans to attend a 4-year university and major in business finance.
Starting off as a small passion, soccer has become a significant part of Navarro’s life. While her time on the field has come to a close, her resilience and commitment to the sport will lead the way for greater achievements in all her future endeavors.
