Normally, sports die down during Winter Break, with people resting and possibly becoming rusty by not practicing for an extended period of time. However, that is not the case for Aliso Niguel’s Girls Soccer Team. During the break, they competed in the Best of the West tournament and won.
The tournament was against high school soccer teams from all over the state. The girls played four games against Liberty High School, Oaks Christian High School, Harvard Westlake High School, and Los Alamitos High School. These teams are some of the best of the best, with all of them being considered powerhouses in their section and having incredible records in past seasons. However, Aliso Niguel came out on top, winning all four games and taking home the trophy.
The head coach of the Girls Soccer Team, Sean Melendez, when asked for his opinion of the tournament, felt it was, “Still a time of getting to know each other as a team, still trying to figure out strategy, and a time of finding their identity or who we are as a team.”
Coach Melendez’s motivations have not changed much throughout this season as he continues to encourage the girls to push themselves and try their hardest this season, reminding them that you either win games and tournaments that do well for your record or learn from mistakes that teach you more about yourself and your team.
One of the main goals of this team this season, like many other sports, is to accomplish a lot in the league; however, with girls’ soccer, they want to win the league, not to place third or second. This drive is definitely well represented by Coach Melendez and his team’s spirit, as well as their current record of 8-4-3.
The girls had to face certain challenges that also brought opportunities for them, with Paige Manley (11) saying, “We had a few injuries and had to get used to new people in spots, but we adapted pretty well and we were able to match up against our tough opponents this tournament.”
Down the line, the team still has many opponents to face off against, specifically in their league, having to go against teams like Capistrano Valley High School, San Clemente High School, and many more that stand in their way on their journey through the league.
Coach Melendez is not the only one who sees growth within the team but the player themselves as they continue to build strong bonds with one another as the season progress with Addison Rudel (11) mentioning, “Usually the night before each game, we have a pasta party at one person house where we spend 30 minutes talking and eating being a time for all of us to hangout.”
As Rudel mentioned, the team is one big family of sisters who support each other through thick and thin as the season progresses, with all of them challenging and pushing each other as they sharpen their skills, so they are a dangerous threat as the rush for league champions continues.
