Looking at the clock, which reads 1:00am, Gerardo heads to bed. In a matter of minutes, he hears the sound of his alarm at 5:00 am. 

Gerardo, a senior, played varsity soccer his junior year but due to an injury, he played JV and made his way up to varsity again. Gerardo is the oldest of three siblings, one younger sister and brother. He’s made positive impacts on his siblings and has shown his teammates that he is able to take charge. On top of extracurriculars, Gerardo picked up a job working at Waba Grill. 

Gerardo has been debating about continuing on with soccer for the past year. With the negativity that comes with playing a high school sport, it made Gerardo stop and think about continuing his childhood dream. 

“What’s the point of playing if you’re not even winning, you know?” Gerardo said. “But then I remember why I fell in love with the game. I created friends, memories like the bus rides, and this is going to be my last year of playing soccer so I might as well make as many memories as possible.”

On the field, Gerardo has been able to do his part and help out his team. With playing alongside one of his teammates, Landon Stevens (10), he has shown that putting in personal work has its benefits. Gerardo is also known to be a chill and easy person to talk to.

“I don’t think there’s anyone who does not want to hang out or be around Gerardo, or not talk to him,” Stevens said. “He’s very calm and composed. When we play, he brings that energy onto the field and onto others. He’s also gotten bigger because he started going to the gym, so he’s a beast. [Overall] he’s just a really good player on and off the field.”

Throughout all of this, Gerardo’s family has been supportive, especially in his ups and downs with the sport and cheering him on regardless. 

“They’ve always been super supportive and giving me feedback,” Gerardo said. “They’ve been like, ‘If you don’t want to play, we’re always going to be there for you.’ They always motivate me and show up to my games, just basically being my number one fan.”

One of the reasons Gerardo continued to play is for his siblings. Being the oldest, your younger siblings look up to you, so Gerardo wanted to continue playing and be a good role model for his younger siblings.

“I think of all the times he wanted to give up and hasn’t,” Aileen Elizalde, his sister, said. “I think that’s what motivates me to keep going and play soccer as a senior. He’ll tell me to keep pushing and I’ll see results at the end so it’ll be worth it.”

“Not that I’m forcing [my sister to play soccer] but I’m inspiring her. That’s why I try. That’s why I play,” Gerardo said.