Lourdes Lauterborn attends Xavier College Preparatory and is a member of the AIA's Student Leadership Advisory Committee. 

Xavier College Preparatory is one of the most challenging soccer programs in the state of Arizona. This year’s players have at least five years of club soccer experience and have participated in numerous state and national tournaments. They represent five different clubs and three players have already secured verbal college commitments. In addition to excelling in soccer, our players are required to meet high academic standards.

As a member of the varsity team for two years, I know how hard we work. Five to six days a week, we practice shooting, possession, running, and mini-scrimmages. We are committed to giving 110% to our team, our coach and our school.

However, every team experiences challenges, which leaves room for the team to grow. This year, approximately half of our team consists of new players. This means we have to spend time learning how to interact on the field and bonding. We have also experienced injuries and illnesses. Despite this, we have to focus on our team.

The results at the beginning of our season were not what we had hoped. Sometimes, we become disheartened and our level of play in practice reflects our frustration. Our effort and energy decreased. Our head coach, Barb Chura, quickly recognized this change and took measures to address this within the team. She organized team building activities and pushed us harder in practice.

It is challenging to build a competitive high school soccer team. Everyone has an opinion on ways that we can improve or what may have gone wrong during a game. However, the Xavier College Preparatory soccer team belongs to the players. Ultimately, it is our responsibility to be accountable and initiate change within our team. This is what we believe, and this is what we are doing. Our team has united and put our hearts toward a common goal, representing our school and defending our state championship title.

Last year, it was not easy winning the state championship. It took hard work and the desire to win. We are all exceptional soccer players individually, but connecting with each other is what makes us a great soccer team. Ultimately, this is a team sport, and the Xavier Gators have the talent and desire to defend our title. Stay tuned!