Members of the varsity boys and girls soccer teams are excited to be out on the field playing their beloved sport. 

There are several returning players who are seniors who are excited to play with their close friends on the team with whom they have formed close bonds while playing soccer. Despite the current challenges with COVID, the players said they are determined to make the best of the time they have playing soccer.

“It feels good returning and it being my last year because I get to represent this school and just enjoy my last season helping out my teammates,” senior Lali Navarro said.

Navarro, who is a team captain, said the varsity girls soccer team has experienced some challenges with COVID, especially when there were so many players who couldn’t play that they didn’t have enough to fill the line up. She said communicating is one of the team’s strengths.

“We know how to communicate after our games when we make mistakes playing,” she said.

Senior Kevin Barcenas said it feels good to be playing soccer for the fourth year at Akins.

“Every year it’s been full of good memories and just amazing friendships made,” he said.

Barcenas said COVID hasn’t had a huge impact on the team, but it did affect the team’s preseason because they couldn’t do as much training as they hoped because of players who were out sick.

Senior Sergio Zuniga said it’s a special season for him personally because it’s his last year and the team wants to make it to the playoffs. He said this year, things feel more normal than last year because more fans are able to come to the games.

Zuniga says the team does a good job of coming together.

“We have chemistry and when we play as a team we win games,” he said.