For elite athletes high school sports act as a springboard toward gaining a collegiate scholarship. For others, especially those playing high profile sports such as football and basketball, it can turn them into campus celebrities. But athletes that compete in sports like tennis, golf and field hockey rarely get noticed for what they do. Sometimes however, they benefit in other ways.

 “A few years ago I was really quiet and I spent most of my free time at home. I didn’t go out for a lot of things. My older sister played field hockey and she was the one who got me involved in it. Now I love it. Playing field hockey keeps me from being bored and it keeps me in shape. I have also made a lot of new friends playing here,” said Spartans captain, Monica Santiago.

 The Spartans went 4-8 in the just completed non-league portion of their schedule, but that record can be deceiving.

 “Last year we went 7-1 before we got into our league schedule, but that was against easier opponents,” Santiago recalled.

 This year the Spartans deliberately scheduled tougher competition.

 “I think playing tougher competition will help prepare us for our league games. It has given us a good idea of where we stand and what we still need to work out.”

 She believes Hilltop will once again be the team to beat, but that Bonita Vista, Otay Ranch and Eastlake will provide tough competition. Having lost much of last year’s team to graduation it may be difficult for the Spartans to improve upon last year’s record, but that is nontheless their goal. Santiago will no doubt play a key role regardless of where they end up in the standings.

 “Monica has been a good leader and captain for us,” said veteran coach Ben Villanueva. “She did a good job of organizing our summer workouts. Monica has a knack for scoring, hits the ball very hard and is a good passer. Last year she played mostly at forward, but this year we have needed her more in the midfield. She has worked very hard and that work has paid off for her.”

Following her graduation in June, Santiago hopes to attend college in order to pursue a career in architecture, art or interior design.