Lourdes’ Coco Aguilar is the Miami Herald’s Girls’ Soccer 7A-5A Player of the Year
The Lourdes girls’ soccer team, and its school as a whole, entered this past season dealing with adversity no one ever should.
Coco Aguilar, like the rest of the team’s players, were motivated to win a state championship that had eluded them in their previous two trips to the state finals.
But while they remained focused on that objective all season, there was some extra motivation to do it for two individuals they honored every time they stepped on the field.
The Bobcats had lost their captain and senior Katy Puig back in September when she suffered serious injuries sustained in a boating accident in the Florida Keys. That same accident claimed the life of Lourdes student Lucy Fernandez.
Despite coming up short in the state final following a 4-1 loss to Gulf Breeze High, the Bobcats honored both throughout what was an emotionally-challenging season.
Aguilar, a senior who had 15 goals and six assists this season, was one of the key figures on the team who kept the Bobcats on course and why she is the Miami Herald’s Girls’ Soccer Player of the Year for Classes 7A-5A.
“I thought my senior year was one of the best,” said Aguilar, who, along with her teammates wore a patch and a band wrapped around their socks honoring Puig and Fernandez. “It was fun being the captain and being the voice in charge leading the team. I’m taking away a lot of friendships I made with new players and the ones I had with the older players. I got to play the sport I love with all my friends and got to do it for my best friend.”
Aguilar is planning to attend Florida State University, but isn’t planning on playing soccer at the next level.
She began the season a little late after she herself suffered minor injuries in the accident. But Aguilar was back to stellar form quickly, and delivered clutch goals in several wins against some of the state’s best.
“I didn’t wanna think too much about it so I just played hard,” Aguilar said. “It motivated us to keep going and never give up.”
