"EVERY SETBACK HAS A COMEBACK" by Becky Zuniga

Embrace Doubt
Oct 28, 2024
3 min read

Updated: Dec 26, 2024

Becky Zuniga

District: Brownsville ISD

High School: Lopez High School

High School Graduating Class: 2023

College: Texas Southmost College (TSC)

College Graduating Class: 2026

Sport:Soccer

I am from Brownsville, Texas and began playing soccer because of my dad. I started at 9 years old and was mainly in recreational teams until I got to middle school where I played club soccer. I think it’s what helped me get this far. My dad played soccer all his life and is now a high school coach at Lopez High School which is my Alma mater. He coached the girl’s varsity team for a while which is where I got my inspiration to play from. He has taught me most of what I know, and I will forever be grateful for that.

My experience as a college athlete hasn’t been perfect as it may seem at times. There is times where you doubt yourself and your ability to compete against players from all over the world who have also put in the work throughout the years. I didn’t commit to Texas Southmost College (TSC) right away. I had accepted my fate of not playing college soccer especially at TSC because I had already earned my Associates degree. However, the staff here at TSC helped me out and made it possible for me to play. My biggest challenge was that I had stopped playing as soon as high school season was over. I hadn’t been training at high intensity for a while. It did take me a while to get back and even get better than I was before. This taught me that every setback has a comeback. I am captain of our successful and history making team. We are girls purely from The Valley. We have been competing against girls who are bigger in size, but I think our hearts and our passion help us overcome those challenges.

My role model has to be both of my parents. They both came from very low-income families and worked hard to get to where they are. They’ve taught me to always work hard and never give up on my goals. I look up to them because they came from very little, and they have always tried to give me and my brother everything they didn’t or couldn’t have as kids.

A lesson that I have learned is to expect the unexpected. I never thought my life would take such a big turn. Honestly, I don’t know what my life would be if I hadn’t followed my dream of eventually becoming a college soccer player. I have now been admitted to UTRGV’s nursing school, which is one of the most competitive nursing schools.

Some advice that I would give to high school student athletes; is to never give up on your dreams and to always be patient with yourself. Your life will fall into place the way it needs to.

Senior year me would be so proud of all that I have accomplished, with not only the team but also my academics. In five years I see myself working as a nurse, as I recently got into nursing school. I see myself achieving my dreams of becoming financially stable and maybe even starting a family by then.

-Becky Zuniga/Embrace Doubt 10/28/2024

Photography by Texas Southmost College and Lopez High School.