Sophomore Aria Staggs-Lopez started to play soccer in fifth grade, participating on a recreational team, and she has had a passion for it ever since.
“My mom signed me up to start in fifth grade,” she said. “I was like ‘oh, this is pretty cool.’ And I just kept on playing.”
She is now in her second year playing for La Salle as a member of the junior varsity team.
She believes that soccer has taught her to regulate her emotions, also mentioning that it has helped her and others on her team grow on and off the field.
“Patience is key,” she said. “Not having patience is not going to help you at all.”
Staggs-Lopez said that even though soccer makes her life busier and gives her limited time to do her homework, it is something she looks forward to daily.
She has a strong bond with her team and said they have good chemistry. They balance uplifting each other by offering helpful advice and constructive feedback to help one another improve.
“Everyone’s always super supportive, and they’re always bringing each other up,” she said.
Along with her strong connection with her teammates, she has a goal for this season, which is to improve at playing defense. As this is her first year playing in this position, she finds it difficult, but she wants to get better to help her team.
Games are important for Staggs-Lopez, and she often gets nervous before each one, regardless of how easy or difficult she thinks they might be.
“I feel nervous, like I might not perform well, but I also feel excited,” she said. “I get to play a game, and I get to have another experience and … something to learn off of.”
Staggs-Lopez’s most memorable game was against Hood River High School last season. Despite not winning the game, she was proud of how she played as well as her team’s effort. She finds the game especially memorable due to their recent win against Hood River 2-0 this season, which she views as an improvement for the team.
However, the game against Hood River last year left Staggs-Lopez injured, as she sprained her ankle and was out for a little over a week.
“That was the longest week of my life because I had to watch from the sidelines,” she said.
She said that she takes her health a lot more seriously now and is working towards taking care of herself to prevent future injuries.
Off the field, Staggs-Lopez’s favorite teacher is English Department Chair Mr. Greg Larson. She says that he influenced her to take Honors English II this year because he is always pushing her to be her best.
“He’s just taught me a lot about myself and about how I am as a writer,” she said.
Staggs-Lopez said she looks up to her older brother, Noah, the most.
She describes him as someone who’s always been smart and a skilled soccer player and explained that she’s learned a lot from him through their conversations about the sport.
Additionally, Staggs-Lopez has admired the girls varsity soccer team since she started playing at La Salle due to their talent and teamwork.
“I was like, ‘dang, I want to be like that,’” she said.
