When Diego Ayala-Martinez was a 14-year-old at Loyola Excessive, he tried out for the freshman soccer staff. He’ll always remember the day he came upon he bought lower after trying on the roster taped to a window within the locker room.
“I keep in mind going over at lunch with my buddies,” he stated. “I stroll over and don’t see my identify. I’m confused and shocked. Afterward, I went to speak to educate [Chris] Walter. He stated there have been plenty of youngsters who tried out and I used to be on the border. Yearly coaches should make some powerful selections.”
So what did Ayala-Martinez do subsequent?
Did he get his dad and mom to make a telephone name to complain? Did he go dwelling and throw a soccer ball towards his mattress? Did he punch a wall? Did he determine to switch?
“I stayed assured in my capability,” he stated. “I knew for certain I used to be going to work exhausting and are available out higher. My mentality was don’t give coach a motive to chop me once more.”
What he did was put together for an additional alternative his sophomore yr. He made the junior varsity staff and have become a starter. Then he made the varsity staff as a junior and hardly performed. He didn’t give up. He got here again final summer season decided to earn a beginning function in his senior yr.
“I mainly went every single day to the sector for 2 or three hours with my buddy,” he stated. “We’d run and do drills.”
Ayala-Martinez is the beginning heart again for the unbeaten Cubs (17-0-3), who’re seeded No. 7 within the Southern Part Open Division soccer playoffs.
“He’s one of many causes we’ve had plenty of success defensively,” Walter stated.
There are 9 senior starters.
“They’re a really shut group,” Walter stated. “They work extraordinarily exhausting collectively.”
At 6 ft 2, Ayala-Martinez turned the most effective defenders within the Mission League as Loyola went 10-0. The Cubs begin the playoffs Wednesday with a house sport towards No. 2-seeded Mater Dei, final season’s Division 1 champion.
Trying again, Ayala-Martinez chuckles that he made the soccer staff as a freshman however not the fútbol staff. In fact, everybody who goes out for freshman soccer at Loyola makes the staff.
Getting lower from soccer, although, was his early actuality verify in highschool life. It was his bout with adversity and his problem to see how he would reply.
With a 4.2 grade-point common and having been accepted to USC, Ayala-Martinez already has realized classes that can assist him as an grownup. Getting lower from the freshman staff and getting again as much as strive even tougher is actually one.
“Simply don’t hand over,” he stated. “Keep optimistic and true to your self. The largest factor for me is don’t really feel sorry for your self. Hold working and also you’ll get there.”
Ayala-Martinez and his household reside in Altadena, the place the Eaton fireplace induced destruction. They escaped catastrophe with solely a burned yard fence, however neighbors’ houses are in ashes and the household was displaced. His mom stated soccer and college have helped her son.
“We’re very pleased with him — his work ethic, resilience and sort coronary heart,” Adriana Martinez stated.
Ayala-Martinez stated his soccer expertise received’t be forgotten.
“That’s one in all my greatest issues, the reference to soccer and life on and off discipline,” he stated.