Sondheimer: Loyolas Diego Ayala-Martinez never | College News

When Diego Ayala-Martinez was a 14-year-old at Loyola High, he tried out for the freshman soccer crew. He’ll never neglect the day he came upon he bought cut after wanting on the roster taped to a window within the locker room.

“I remember going over at lunch with my friends,” he stated. “I walk over and don’t see my name. I’m confused and shocked. Afterward, I went to talk to coach [Chris] Walter. He said there were a lot of kids who tried out and I was on the border. Every year coaches have to make some tough decisions.”

So what did Ayala-Martinez do subsequent?

Did he get his dad and mom to make a telephone call to complain? Did he go home and throw a soccer ball in opposition to his mattress? Did he punch a wall? Did he determine to switch?

“I stayed confident in my ability,” he stated. “I knew for sure I was going to work hard and come out better. My mentality was don’t give coach a reason to cut me again.”

What he did was put together for an additional alternative his sophomore yr. He made the junior varsity crew and have become a starter. Then he made the varsity crew as a junior and hardly performed. He didn’t give up. He got here back final summer season decided to earn a beginning position in his senior yr.

“I basically went every day to the field for two or three hours with my friend,” he stated. “We’d run and do drills.”

Ayala-Martinez is the beginning middle back for the unbeaten Cubs (17-0-3), who’re seeded No. 7 within the Southern Section Open Division soccer playoffs.

“He’s one of the reasons we’ve had a lot of success defensively,” Walter stated.

There are 9 senior starters.

“They’re a very close group,” Walter stated. “They work extremely hard together.”

At 6 ft 2, Ayala-Martinez turned one of the best defenders within the Mission League as Loyola went 10-0. The Cubs begin the playoffs Wednesday with a home sport in opposition to No. 2-seeded Mater Dei, final season’s Division 1 champion.

Looking back, Ayala-Martinez chuckles that he made the soccer crew as a freshman however not the fútbol crew. Of course, everybody who goes out for freshman soccer at Loyola makes the crew.

Getting cut from soccer, although, was his early actuality verify in high college life. It was his bout with adversity and his problem to see how he would reply.

With a 4.2 grade-point average and having been accepted to USC, Ayala-Martinez already has discovered classes that can help him as an grownup. Getting cut from the freshman crew and getting back up to attempt even tougher is definitely one.

“Just don’t give up,” he stated. “Stay positive and true to yourself. The biggest thing for me is don’t feel sorry for yourself. Keep working and you’ll get there.”

Ayala-Martinez and his household reside in Altadena, the place the Eaton fire prompted 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 faculty have helped her son.

“We’re very proud of him — his work ethic, resilience and kind heart,” Adriana Martinez stated.

Ayala-Martinez stated his soccer expertise received’t be forgotten.

“That’s one of my biggest things, the connection with soccer and life on and off field,” he stated.