She's getting her kicks
In just three years of playing competitive soccer, Evelyn De La Rosa has already accomplished a lot on the field.
De La Rosa, 15, of La Puente will have a busy travel schedule the next few months. At the end of this month, she will take part in the Texas Shootout Tournament, which is a college showcase for high school players. That event is scheduled for May 30 to June 1 at Houston.
Her Diamond Bar-based club team, the Barbarians, was selected to participate in the Gothia World Youth Cup tournament, slated for July 13 to 19 at Gothenburg, Sweden. The Barbarians will play in the
age 17 and under bracket.
De La Rosa, a sophomore at Nogales High School, is looking forward to her travels.
"I'm
Education
Get the scoop on schools, teachers and students. Visit our Education page for more articles and photos. On her team's invitation to the Gothia Cup, she added, "I was excited (we were chosen). I can't wait to go. Last year, we were in England and I thought `which country are we going to go to next?' I like to travel."
De La Rosa, who plays midfield, forward and backup goalkeeper, hopes her team can excel in Sweden.
"We want to win the golden ball trophy," she said. "I'm also looking forward to meeting players from different countries. I'm going to try and score some goals while I'm out there. We want to play the best we can."
Stephen Goode, who coaches the Barbarians, praised De La
Rosa's soccer prowess."She's a leader on the field," he said. "She makes everything happen for us. She does things other teams don't expect. She has a great passion for the game."
De La Rosa started playing soccer when she was 12. In October 2004, she signed up with Walnut AYSO. She has played with the Barbarians since March 2005.
"I love the fun of the game and the intensity," De La Rosa said.
De La Rosa, however, encountered some adversity along the way. She did not play soccer at Nogales High this year due to a medical condition, which consisted of fainting spells.
"It happens to her during games because of the adrenaline," said Evelia De La Rosa, Evelyn's mother. "It first happened in October of 2007. We had it looked at by a cardiologist and they said she could continue to play and that everything is fine."
According to Evelia, Evelyn takes medication once every three to four days.
"When it happens (during games), she comes out and takes medication, so she can't be alone," Evelia said. "It was hard for everyone because it changed everyone in the family. We had to be more alert with her.
"It's not a life-threatening condition. She takes medication and she can continue her sport. The doctors say she's fine. They say when it happens; leave the game, take medication and then go back in. We're learning to become more comfortable with the situation."
Because of her medical condition, Evelyn needed to make adjustments.
"With running, I have to pace myself when I run during games," she said. "I had to recognize how I was feeling during games; if I was shaking or not."
Evelyn hopes to advance to bigger things in soccer
"I want to play in college and then try to make it to the U.S. National Team," she said.
Evelyn is looking to raise money for the trip to Sweden. For information, call Evelia De La Rosa at (626) 252-9272 or Goode at (951) 217-1956 or e-mail at [email protected]
(626) 962-8811, Ext. 2127