Far West Regional Championship, 2025

2008 Nevada State Champions - Villarreal Academy Las Vegas

This season, I had the opportunity to guest play with the 2008 team as they competed for a spot in the Far West Regional Championship. At first, I wasn’t expecting to see much playing time—but what happened turned into one of my proudest moments on the field.

Stepping Into the Challenge

Going into the tournament, I assumed I’d be more of a supporting player on the bench. Instead, I ended up playing nearly the entire tournament. Every game, I was called on to contribute, and I knew I had to rise to the level of competition.

Playing Against Bigger Competition

The teams we faced were filled with strong, physical players who were bigger than me. I knew the only way I could make an impact was to play my hardest and use my speed. So that’s exactly what I did—I ran every sprint at full pace, chased down every ball, and left everything I had out on the field.

What I Learned

The experience taught me that size doesn’t define ability—effort, attitude, and determination do. Playing up forced me to adapt quickly, compete harder, and believe in myself even when the challenge seemed daunting.

Looking Ahead

Earning that much playing time with an older team gave me a huge boost of confidence. I proved to myself that I can handle higher levels of competition, and that lesson will carry into every training session and game moving forward.