Edgar Padilla’s entire family lives and breathes soccer. It was only a matter of time before he caught the bug. He played in high school, where he was named Offensive Player of the Year. Now he’s a crucial part of the La Sierra Golden Eagles midfield, where he has played forward for the past three seasons.
“Soccer is my passion,” Padilla says. “It helps me stay in shape, release stress, forget about everything and focus on having fun.” In fact, soccer is so important to him that his goal is to become a professional soccer player. But if that doesn’t work out, he has a back-up plan: to become a translator in the soccer world, working with coaches, players, and reporters. Padilla must balance the time-consuming demands of soccer practice, games, and travel with his academic studies. He stays on top of these demands by doing his homework during his free time while on campus and before practice. It has to do with focus. “I don’t like to be thinking about schoolwork while I’m in soccer practice,” he says. “I like to focus only on my performance.” It also helps that he considers himself a really competitive person and a perfectionist.
BEST SOCCER MOMENT?
• 2013 NAIA playoffs semi-final against 25th ranked Marymount— “We won 3–2 against all odds.”
FAVORITE PLACES ON CAMPUS?
• Eagles Nest, gym, soccer field, library
FAVORITE PROFESSIONAL SOCCER PLAYERS? • Xavier “Xavi” Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, Ricardo Kakà
