McALLEN — Geo Hernandez built her mental toughness running cross country.
McAllen Memorial girls soccer head coach Matthew Kaiser said that foundation the four-year starter mid-fielder developed came from before she reached high school.
“It has paid dividends for her to be the great soccer player she has become,” Kaiser said. “That commitment to being in the best shape and condition has helped her become a great athlete and give her the opportunity to play somewhere.”
Hernandez on Wednesday signed her national letter of intent to play soccer at UTRGV, completing a process that began early in her high school career.
“A big part of it was a conversation with my parents,” she said. “It started when they asked me if I was sure I wanted to play collegiate soccer and I said yes. Since then it has been constant showcases and camps and all those kind of things.”
Hernandez echoed Kaiser’s sentiments when it came to how a passion for long-distance running, helped he reach the point she’s at now. In fact, she said, she misses some of those days.
“Since a young age I was really into running at Milam Elementary. I would get dropped off and rather than playing with friends, I would be running around the track,” the two-time second-team All-District 30-6A soccer player said. “During recess I would be running around the track in my school clothes.
“I was good at it and would run 5Ks with my dad, loving running and competing. I found soccer about the tame time and staying in cross country helped me out. Back then I would wake up at 5 p.m., run seven miles and then go work out with coach Kaiser for two hours for soccer.”
Kaiser said it was clear to him, especially near the end of games, were Hernandez’s focus was still as sharp as when the game started.
“It allows her to focus on the different aspect, by the end of the game you can see the matchups and who is not as conditioned,” he said. “She could see that someone was getting tired and she wasn’t so it was, ‘I’m going to take you on and challenge you. She has always been able to take advantage of that talent. She’s just a remarkable athlete.”
Hernandez said now as a senior she reflects on her “younger years” and gets “jealous when I see how in shape some of these younger girls are in.”
So, she does what any top notch competitive athlete would do — she challenges them. Kaiser enjoys seeing that leadership role, something that has become natural for Hernandez.
“Soccer is long distance so a couple miles is no big deal for her,” he said. “As a runner she liked to be first and she would push for that. It’s always a great thing as a coach to have a player be an example. I’ll tell her teammate when they are running ‘just go stay with Geo, just try to keep up with her.” She will make others around her better and faster. Everyone gets pulled along with her.
“It’s always great to have that example to look up to.”