Rising South Florida soccer star sets her own path to success
MIAMI - Lizmarie Espinoza isn't your typical soccer player.
"I love everything about it, ever since I was four, I fell in love with it. Soccer revolves around me," she said.
When there wasn't a path for her to pursue her passion, she made her own.
When Espinoza went to middle school, there wasn't a girls team. So, what did she do?
"I joined the boys' team," she said.
Espinoza played for the middle school boys' team at the City of Hialeah Educational Academy at 13 years old. She said at first she was a little hesitant, but she competed with the boys and excelled.
"I just have to prove to myself that I'm good. It was fun, I got to body some boys and make them embarrassed, but overall, it was a good experience," she said.
This season, her school got a girls' soccer team, but not enough girls wanted to play. That was no problem for Espinoza. After school, she goes to Mater Lakes Academy to play varsity soccer as an 8th grader.
"It was fun. It's a good experience to play against girls that are older and be as competitive as them," she said.
Not only does Espinoza play varsity, but she's also a starter. Every day after school she drives to play for her club team FL United Soccer Club MT. Twice a week she goes to Mater Lakes Academy to play varsity.
Espinoza is already planning for her upcoming freshman year in high school, setting some concrete goals for herself. She wants to play Division 1, then professionally, but mostly she puts in all this hard work for her family.
"They use their time, money and gas to take me here so I gotta use it somehow," she said.
She said if any girls want to play soccer, don't be afraid, play with the boys and create your own path because you never know who's watching or what opportunities may come from it.
"Try it out. You only live once, you can try new things, don't be embarrassed about people judging you. It's good to try new things," said Espinoza.
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