“When I was around 4, my mother wanted me to try soccer and so I did,” said Adrian Amador, who plays for the Solano SURF team. “I was little and it seemed fun to me, so I didn’t have to think about it too much at the time. I still do it nowadays because it has always been a part of my life, and I also like that I’m doing something and being active instead of sitting around doing nothing good for myself.”

Throughout his life, Amador has done many different things related to soccer in order to get better. “I have played with different teams such as some teams in Vacaville, and I also won a couple of trophies here and there,” he said. “I like to expand my soccer skills and go up against all types of people, but soccer isn’t all I do. I also enjoy my free time with my friends and family. I like going out to places, and basically just being a teenager like everyone else.”

“Compared to soccer here [at Armijo, Solano SURF] is more competitive,” he said. He felt that the club team has “more skillful and challenging teams, harsh training, a lot of mental challenges coming along with it. Overall it is a lot more difficult playing [on SURF] than at Armijo.”

That is not to say that the team beats him down. “We do hard conditioning, and the training is somewhat strict, he said, “but it’s not strict enough to make you feel worthless. The energy within the team is positive, the coaches are positive, and it’s just a good feeling being there.”