There are five minutes left in the game and the Bears are losing 1-0. Sophomore Samir Zambrano makes a split second decision to run the ball up the field. He makes his way around a defender and now faces the goalie, who runs at him to take the ball. Zambrano flicks the ball around the keeper, shoots and scores, tying the game for the Bears and preventing a loss against Santa Fe.

Zambrano, one of the few sophomores on the Varsity team, has played soccer for five years, and is already a force to be reckoned with. He said he takes soccer very seriously and plans to improve as much as possible during this season and over the summer to become the best player he can be. Even though he wants to improve as much as possible, Zambrano said he still enjoys just playing the sport.

“My favorite part about playing soccer is that I can have fun with my friends and win many games,” he said.

He may like to have fun and enjoy himself, but when it is time for a game, Zambrano knows how to get serious. To prepare for a game, he listens to warm-up music to get pumped and clears his head so he can get focused.

“For a game I prepare by doing my warm ups right,” Zambrano said. “I don’t like to mess around when it comes to a soccer game.”

Even though he is one of the youngest on the team, Zambrano said he gets along with most of his teammates. Sometimes they fight and it causes some problems within the team, but he said their coach fixes the problems so they can unite and play to their full ability. He also said he believes that everyone should try soccer at least once so they can experience the joy the other players around the world feel during a game.

“One thing people don’t realize about soccer is that it’s the best sport in the world,” Zambrano said. “People who play soccer are very passionate to play the sport.”

The boys varsity soccer team has just recently gotten back from the Brenham soccer tournament, where Zambrano got his first goal of the 2016 season. He plans on many more before the end of the season.