By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
Stephanie Aguilar, Luz Gallegos and Paola Vargas formed a strong bond on the soccer field during their Brownsville Jubilee careers, and now they’re taking that camaraderie on the road.
The Lady Titans will be heading to Quincy, Ill., together after signing to play college soccer for John Wood Community College on Saturday. They are the first girls soccer players from Jubilee to advance to the next level.
“It hasn’t hit me yet, until we actually leave the state, but it’s an amazing feeling that we are the first to sign for soccer from this school and we’re so thankful,” Vargas said.
The trio of defenders will be competing for coach Hayley Womack in the Mid-West Athletic Conference of the National Junior College Athletic Association. They developed an unmatched chemistry anchoring the Jubilee defense, and they’re excited to use that connection in the college ranks.
“I’m super emotional,” said Aguilar, who choked up during the ceremony. “I’m a very shy person, so I think it’s going to take me some time to adapt to the other girls. But with Luz and Paola’s help, I’ll be able to achieve that. It’s going to be a little tough to adjust to how (the Blazers) do things, but it’s going to be a great opportunity to stay together and play together.”
The girls were a defensive line for Jubilee, with Gallegos at stopper, Vargas at sweeper and Aguilar at fullback. Gallegos recorded a District 32-4A-best 129 steals this season, and Vargas added 45. Aguilar was “a very versatile player” who contributed 69 assists and one goal.
Lady Titans coach Jennie Maldonado called them “a puzzle in the back” and said they meshed together well and served as leaders on the 32-4A co-district champion squad. The girls said the key to their success as a unit was being able to depend on one another.
“It’s a great chemistry that we have,” Vargas said. “If Luz needs someone to cover, she doesn’t even need to tell us, me and Stephanie will be there, or if Stephanie needs our help, we’ll go. It’s nice to know somebody always has your back on the field and you don’t have to think twice. That’s what I love about them.”
Maldonado was excited to learn the girls were signing with the same school. She took an active role in their recruitment, taking them to camps and calling colleges to get them as much exposure as possible. She believes their accomplishments will light a fire in their younger teammates and future Jubilee soccer players to chase big dreams, too.
“Coming on as a new coach this year, it was great having three really strong seniors, and I really, really hoped they’d have the opportunity to go play college ball,” Maldonado said. “Soccer’s kind of looked over a lot of times, and I think these three girls signing spearheads the program and opens more doors for other players, and it gives inspiration to the younger players. They represented Jubilee very well, and I’m sure they’re going to represent John Wood just as well.”
The girls thanked Maldonado, Jubilee assistant Carla Reyna and former Lady Titans coach Cesar Arizmendi for helping them become college athletes. Gallegos will be majoring in business, Aguilar in nursing and Vargas in educational instruction with a focus on special education while playing for the Blazers.
It’s a big step moving several states away, but as long as they have each other to lean on, the girls are confident they’ll find success together in college, too.
“I’m very thankful, but I’m also kind of nervous,” Gallegos said. “But I think we’re going to do good, for sure. We know each other on the field and off the field, so we’re going to do great things together.”