‘It’s Game Day!’

Senior Ana Esqueda Mendoza plays goalkeeper for the girls soccer varsity team here at BHS.
Girls soccer is a sport that relies on communication just as much as ability and determination.

Having these skills don’t just develop overnight; Mendoza said their soccer career started “Back
in 5th grade when there was no goalie, and I was a big kid, so I covered most of the goal so that’s
how it stuck with me.”

Mendoza’s teammate, Senior Maya Ferkoxicz, described Mendoza as “An amazing teammate who is definitely an important part of our team’s defense. Ana goes out of their way to do what is best for the team as a whole and always offers up a good laugh when we need it.”

Mendoza has gotten much fame and praise from “Sectional Championships, Academic All State, HCC Honors, Honorable Mention, [and] County.” With all these achievements and recognition, Mendoza discussed the impact on them: “Everyone expects a lot more of me than before I got them, so I just always want to improve on that. It’s really hard, but it pushes me to do better.”

Being able to push through has become an important aspect of playing soccer; Mendoza is
constantly scanning the field and processing the different plays and aspects of being there.
Mendoza said, “I always want to encourage my teammates, that’s my main goal. [Cherishing]
my teammates, recognize what they did well and even [give] constructive criticism on the field.”

Being a goalie, Mendoza also added, “My mind is set on defending the goal, but not just playing to
defend but to win.” Having this important dedication is vital to the team. Mendoza takes this
opportunity to show the difficult aspects of being goalie: “It’s the fact that [I] have to be the
biggest communicator on the field, to know when to talk, when not to talk, how specific I want to
be.”

Ferkowicz also added, “Their communication is a big part of our team’s success.”

Although the position can be stressful, Mendoza has a way to hype themself up. Before every
game, Mendoza said, “I have to scream, IT’S GAME DAY!!!! or I say it to myself in my head, and
I listen to N’Hance or Lil Nas X.”

Not only does Mendoza play soccer, but they also have other hobbies too. Mendoza said, “I like to watch some shows on Netflix, I like to spend time with my siblings. I like to play lacrosse too. And I like to go on some rides and hang out with friends.”

What are some better ways to pass time than watching Netflix? Mendoza said some of their
favorite shows are “Grey’s Anatomy, The Flash, pretty much the basics.”

Along with soccer, Mendoza also plays lacrosse. Mendoza speaks upon their lacrosse
experience: “I love playing lacrosse and getting the chance to actually run in the field and get on
people’s backs without having to be forced to get prepared for the ball. It gives off a different
setting as well.”