By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
A member from the Pace Lady Vikings soccer team will continue her soccer career at the next level.
Erika Martinez is headed to Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins after making her decision official during a signing ceremony Wednesday at Pace.
Martinez helped Pace earn a postseason berth this season. She was chosen as the utility player of the year for District 32-5A for her versatility and ability to play multiple positions for the Lady Vikings.
As for her journey to a college choice, it has been a whirlwind event.
Jarvis coach Toussaint McClure saw Martinez play in a recent all-star game and contacted her soon after.
“He told me he wanted me at his school and on his team,” Martinez said. “And we signed all the paperwork from there.”
McClure had heard about Martinez said Villarreal, but hadn’t seen her play and was impressed by what he saw.
“He saw her, and he liked the way she played,” Villarreal said. “Erika is a very versatile player. For us she played goalie, defense, she played midfield and forward, so she played all the positions at any given time. For me it’s not a surprise.”
Even after making it official today, Martinez still seemed in disbelief.
“This was a surprise,” she said. “I didn’t know if I was going to be able to play soccer in college. This happened really fast, I was like, wow.”
This was the first offer for Martinez, and she took it. She will receive a scholarship that is half academic and half athletic to pursue her education.
Martinez plans to study to become a dental hygienist. She plans to play at Jarvis for two years before deciding where to transfer.
Villarreal had no doubts that Martinez will impress at the next level.
“I’m sure she’ll be successful,” he said. “She’s being recruited as a midfielder, which is mainly what she played for us. But she can play anywhere.”
Martinez and teammate Ashley Galvan, who signed to play for Mount Mary College on Wednesday, are among four of the six seniors at Pace to receive offers to play in college. Villarreal expects the two others to sign soon.
“This is one of my objectives when I got the job,” Villarreal said. “I try to educate them to not only play for the high school but to pursue playing at the next level.
“We always want to win district, of course, but that’s always the goal, to get them to college.”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.