Outside of school, Diego Gomez Salazar can almost always be found on the soccer field. His play has been described as electric, passionate, and energetic, and his personality demonstrates the same energy and leadership in his everyday life.
Diego is a star player on San Mateo’s ELD soccer team. He was named MVP this year for his playing skills and participation in the team. Mr. Shea, a math teacher at SMHS and the coach of this soccer team, said that “without him we wouldn’t have had as much success as we had, so it was unanimous that he was the most valuable player.” Diego was involved in many of the goals that were scored during the team’s game, whether making the scoring kick or helping set up the play.
It is very hard to manage playing a sport, studying, and doing everything else that he had to do, but he was able to do so and still be an invaluable player for all three years that he participated. He recalls that “I had to work and return to practice” often during his time with the team.
His team is one of the teams in the Andy Hodzic Soccer League and competes with others in the league. This league offers more ELD students the opportunity to play soccer with other players from schools in the area. Our school’s team was able to participate in the semifinals this year, and hopes to advance even further in the next season.
Diego said that his experiences in games were his best memories of his time with the team. He started playing at SMHS in Spring 2020 and has been participating ever since.
He is an indispensable player because of his energy on the field and leadership. “He is someone who is able to influence people without talking, and he is a leader,” says Mr. Shea. “What he does, other players tend to try to follow.” Mr. Shea adds that his leadership abilities stem from “the way he comes to practice, the way he plays, the way he listens, the way he demands that everyone else is working hard.”
With his actions, Diego has motivated other students to be more dedicated and excited about the sport. He has become a key part of the SMHS community over the years. Even though his team won’t be the same when he graduates, it has great hopes for his future.