51ÁÔĆć is celebrating a major milestone as two standout student athletes, Miguel Campos and Raul Lopez, officially commit to continuing their academic and athletic careers at four-year universities. Following a successful spell at TSC, both goalkeepers were honored in a joyful signing ceremony surrounded by family, teammates, and coaching staff, an event that showcased the collective pride of the TSC community.

Campos, recognized for his dedication and consistent performance in goal, will transfer to Paul Quinn College. He expressed excitement for the journey ahead, noting, “I’m very happy to be entering a new stage in my life. I’m grateful for this opportunity and ready for the challenges ahead. My goal is to carry the same intensity I had at TSC into my new home at Paul Quinn College and keep growing.”

He reflected on his experience at TSC, adding, “TSC helped me elevate my game. The coaches believed in me and pushed me to get better every day. I came here wanting to make an impact and defend the badge, and I’m grateful for the people I met and everything I learned along the way.”

Coach Mario Zamora praised Campos’s work ethic and determination, saying, “Miguel has always brought a great attitude. He works hard, stays focused, and earned his position through consistency and commitment.”

Lopez, who helped establish TSC’s soccer program in its early years, will continue his athletic and academic career at North American University. Reflecting on his long-held childhood goal, he shared, “I’ve always dreamed of playing soccer at a high level. When I watched my first signing in middle school, I promised myself that one day it would be me. Transferring to North American University shows that the work I put in is paying off, and I’m excited to compete at an even higher level.”

He emphasized the impact TSC had on his development, noting, “TSC played a huge role in shaping me as a player. The coaches supported me every step of the way, during and after practices. Competing in one of the toughest conferences in the country pushed us to match the level of our opponents, and making the playoffs in my last year was a major moment for me and for the program.”

Coach Zamora highlighted Lopez’s leadership and accomplishments, stating, “Raul has been a tremendous student athlete for us. He was our starting goalkeeper for the program’s first two years and earned two conference honors. I’m very proud of him taking this next step.”

Reflecting on both athletes’ achievements, Zamora added, “It’s an honor to help guide their development. We’re proud to support our student athletes as they transfer and continue both their academic and athletic careers.”

The success of Campos and Lopez underscores TSC’s commitment to providing pathways for student athletes to grow, compete, and advance. As the program continues to expand, more Scorpions are expected to follow in their footsteps—strengthening TSC’s reputation as a launching point for athletic and academic achievement.

In team sports, critical aspects go into making a well-rounded team, such as skill and conditioning. Camaraderie also plays a vital role in how a team functions. For the women’s team players Melanie Saldaña and Aleythia Gutierrez, this past season has been one marked by a multitude of improvements in their game, including their growing roles as mentors to their teammates as they head into the NJCAA playoffs.

In addition to their shared mentorship roles, the ladies’ forays into the soccer world share several parallels. Saldaña and Gutierrez, from McAllen and Edinburg, respectively, became involved with athletics early on, eventually finding their way onto the soccer pitch.

Saldaña, a graduate of McAllen High School, played with the McAllen Youth Soccer Association (MYSA) and club soccer. Gutierrez, who started at IDEA Quest before transferring to IDEA Toros, became involved with the Olympic Development Program (ODP). Through these shared experiences, both ladies got to know one another, hone their overall skills, and cultivate their love for the sport as a whole.

However, their time as active athletes was not without the occasional setback. At one point, Saldaña had taken eighteen months off from the sport. Gutierrez endured two meniscus injuries, both of which required surgery, followed by a nearly three-year absence from active competition.

For both ladies, the love of the game never truly diminished, and before long, both found themselves competing in local leagues again. Those experiences became responsible for creating the connections that helped them find their way onto the TSC Scorpions team.

Saldaña and Gutierrez were convinced by Scorpion teammates and friends Anahi Banda and Maritza Saenz to try out for the TSC Scorpions team simultaneously. Both were uncertain at first, but after some discussions and soul-searching, they convinced each other to go for it.

Once they found out they were accepted and would be joining both TSC and the Scorpions team, their sense of elation quickly turned to a newly resolved focus. As their focus grew, so did their desire to share the benefit of their years of experience with their new teammates, which they have managed to fulfill.

“Their presence here has helped transform the team, and their leadership both on and off the field has had a positive impact on our younger athletes,” said Dr. Armando Ponce, Executive Director of Athletics & Civility at TSC. “They’re building the foundation for the future.”

Their performances have improved over the season, strengthening the foundation of a team composed of players across the Rio Grande Valley.

“I love being part of this community and our team family,” Gutierrez shared. “Our teammates are amazing, and the coaches are incredible. I feel like we truly have something special here.”

Saldaña added, “What I enjoy most is our team chemistry. The coaches are always open to working with us and hearing our input, which creates a real sense of unity and pride in representing where we’re from. It feels like the perfect fit, and we’re all really enjoying it.”

The depth of their impact also extends to the greater sense of camaraderie they have helped foster within the team. “The bus rides to our away games have been times when we’ve gotten to build our team chemistry. We’ve all grown comfortable with opening up to each other and helping each other out, either with sports or school,” Saldaña. “Even if we lose a game, we lift and keep each other strong. It’s something we understand and don’t take for granted.”

With the playoffs in sight, both ladies are simultaneously looking back and forward to prepare themselves. “We’re through ups and downs as a team, but we’re facing it together and staying motivated, playing every game like it’s our last one,” said Saldaña. “We’re playing beautiful soccer as a cohesive team, and we’re excited to have made it to this point and have the opportunity to make history.”

Through their individual and shared journeys, both ladies have displayed the kind of determination and perseverance that defines great athletes, and both are steadfast in their resolve to pass on everything they’ve learned to aspiring athletes who wish to follow in their footsteps. “Don’t give up, and always try to be as optimistic as possible,” Saldaña remarked, with Gutierrez adding, “Remember to have fun. It’s not the end of the world if you lose or have a bad performance – at the end, it’s about learning and trying to become a better version of yourself.”

In preparation for the upcoming season, members of the men’s and women’s TSC Scorpion Soccer were recently given the opportunity to sit down and take in some motivational words from a distinguished guest speaker.

Omar Vela, a criminal investigator for the U.S. Department of Defense, took time out of his schedule to visit the TSC REC Center on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 to meet with the team players.

Vela spoke on the importance that trust plays in effective teamwork, relating back to the level of camaraderie he and his fellow soldiers shared and how it was crucial in their overall effectiveness in the field.

A former athlete himself, Vela spoke openly with the young athletes, telling stories about the various difficulties and hardships he encountered during his time in the military as a U.S. Army Ranger, in particular during his deployment to Afghanistan in the early 2000s.

”Two of the things that makes a great team cohesion and camaraderie,” said Vela. “These factors come into play through training, practicing, taking care of one another and going through hardships together, because enduring those hardships together is what is going to give you the strength to move past them.”

Additionally, he stressed the importance of communication as a contributing factor to strengthening cohesion. “You have to talk to each other, whether its friendly talk or if its about problems you might have,” Vela began. “You’re going to have disagreements from time to time, but you need to know when and how to put them aside because that’s going to make for better morale and teamwork.”

With the new season on the horizon, both teams have been diligently practicing and preparing for the road ahead of them. However, after hearing Mr. Vela’s advice and encouragement, many on the team walked out of the session with a renewed sense of motivation.

“I found it to be very motivational, and I felt like he made a lot of good points and said things that we needed to hear, said Becky Zuniga, a midfielder for the women’s Scorpions team. “I feel really good about the upcoming season, especially since we have a lot of new components we’re working with that have made us a lot stronger and have us feeling united as a team.”

While the Scorpions Soccer teams have unyielding support from their fellow TSC peers and colleagues, after this recent session, they can also count Mr. Vela as one of their newest fans.

“This campus should be very proud of these players and the coaching staff that they have, and this season, I think you’re going to see these fine young men and women tap into their potential, display more cohesion and keep improving with every game.”

The first game of the season will take place on Friday, September 13, 2024 at TSC Scorpion Field as the teams take on Paris JC.