AOTW: Bryanna Mendez

AGE 17 | SCHOOL Southwest High | GRADE 12

Last week, the Dynamo El Centro Soccer Club Girls’ 2000 team won the AAA

Division in the San Diego Presidio Soccer League with a record of 10-1-1.

The team scored 43 goals in the season and only allowed 14 in the 12-game span. Helping the team to that mark was starting sweeper, Bryanna Mendez.

The 17-year-old began the year playing different positions, before ending the season as a captain and last line of defense for the team.

“The vocal part was the hardest for me to adjust to because I’m the quiet one on the team,” Mendez explained. “But I adapted and was able to read the plays and by the end I was the loudest one out there. I loved playing in that spot.”

The Southwest High senior said she was proud of her team and the effort the girls put in to win league this year after struggling in the division last year, which was one above what they played in 2015.

“I just felt really proud of everyone,” she said. “All those girls leave everything on the field at games and at practice and in the end it paid off.”

Mendez said she is now looking forward to early next year when the squad will reunite to compete in the State Cup tournament in February.

What do you enjoy most about your sport?

What I enjoy most is that it’s a stress-reliever for me. Anytime I’m stressed with school I can go to practice after and it takes things off my mind

What is one of your more memorable moments in your sport?

I enjoy whenever the team scores and being able to see the celebrations and see how proud everyone is of each other

Who inspires you and why?

We had three seniors on the Dynamo team last year, Shellsea Dennis, Brianna Benedict and Leslie Ruiz, who were our captains and definitely inspired me.

What are your goals for the rest of this season?

Our goal for State Cup is to work together to get as far as we can and if I score a goal, that’d be great.