No one captures the spirit of the Foothill Technology High School (Foothill Tech) soccer program better than Shayna Dearman-So ’24, team captain and four-year participant of the varsity girls’ soccer team.

Dearman-So has been playing soccer for the majority of her life and says that she “was first interested in soccer when I was about 4 years old because I spent a lot of my free time watching my older sister play.”

Soccer, amongst its other benefits, is a particularly team-oriented sport which Dearman-So highlights, stating, “I personally enjoy the team aspect of soccer. I feel like when competing with a team it pushes me to do my best because the end goal is for more than myself.”

During her time playing with the team, Dearman-So averaged at least one assist or one goal per game, serving as a large proponent of the team’s victory. The team ended their league season in first place with a 8-1-1 record and progressed to the first round of CIF.

However, her field prowess is not the only area that she shines, as her off-field demeanor and work ethic are a large part of the team’s success.

Teammate Maddie Wicks ‘26 stated, “She is an inspiration to me on and off the field as both an athletic weapon and high-achieving academic student. Shayna always brought the team together and is an amazing soccer player.”

Despite its virtues, there are some downsides to the sport. “I would say the most challenging aspect is maintaining your health. Especially during season, if you don’t stay hydrated and warm-up well it’s super easy to get injured. As I continue playing I have tried to be more diligent about preventing injury but of course, you can’t prevent everything,” Dearman-So expressed.

Dearman-So is also a dedicated student and speaks on how balancing school with sports can also be difficult. “When you spend so much of the week practicing and traveling to games on the weekend you learn to plan ahead and do your homework on the go … It has definitely helped with my time management skills.”

Unfortunately, due to an injury sustained in the middle of the season, Dearman-So was out of commission for the remainder of the season. Despite this, she never failed to encourage and support the team even if she herself was not playing out of the field with her teammates.

Wicks highlighted this by stating, “Shayna is an extremely positive person, and despite her injury, she stayed positive for the team throughout the rest of the season. She showed up to almost every game even after her injury to support the team. Shayna stayed a leader and a source of strength for the team for the entirety of the season.”

Whether it be on her strength on the field or support from the bench, Dearman-So had proved to be an asset to the team as both a skilled athlete and a point of emotional strength.