By Hayden Swope

Naomi Castellanos, a soccer athlete at Campus, knows a little about having to step out of your comfort zones for a sport. Working to improve her skills on and off the field, Castellanos is putting it all out there for the upcoming season.

“An area I’ve had to improve while playing soccer is my communication skills on the field,” Castellanos said. “For someone who doesn’t talk very loudly or much in general it has been a struggle, but it’s something I must overcome.”

With mental growth being a huge part of her goals, Castellanos is also looking to sharpen her physical skills on the field.

“Some ways I’ve been preparing myself is by conditioning after school and joining classes to keep myself in decent shape throughout the school year,” Castellanos said. “A weakness I wish to improve is my stamina, because speed is not everything in a game.”

Over the years of playing high school soccer, Castellanos learned that the connections she made with her teammates and coaches will be some of the best she ever makes.

“A goal I am wanting to achieve this year is to continue building a connection with my teammates old and new,” Castellanos said. “My favorite memories will always be the time spent on the buses and with the team before the games.”

Castellanos has aspirations to continue her soccer career when she heads off to Butler Community College in the fall.

“My future plans after high school are to go to Butler for my Gen Ed classes, tryout for their soccer team, then I’ll go over to Wichita State University to major in 3D Animation to later get a job in CGI,” Castellanos said.