Yo ho, yo ho, a soccer life for me
Senior captain Lugo finds joy and confidence in game
Andrew Riggs / The Collegian
Success has come easy for Fresno State soccer player Antonea Lugo. Her love for the game has translated into success in all aspects of her life. Below: A starter since her sophomore season, Fresno State’s Antonea Lugo has earned her spot as a team captain, and has started for three years now.
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Catherine Ragsdale
The Collegian
WEIGHTLIFTING AT 6:30 a.m. Class from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Game film at 2:45 p.m. Practice until 6 p.m. This is a typical day for Fresno State senior midfielder Antonea Lugo. Soccer is her life.
“Soccer takes up a lot of my time, but it’s important to me,” Lugo said. “This is my job.”
Lugo is a business marketing major who has a demanding schoolwork schedule.
“I like my major, and really enjoy the work,” Lugo said.
Lugo has many years of practice balancing schoolwork and soccer.
Lugo started playing soccer when she was six years old for recreational and elementary school teams. At nine, Lugo’s parents put her in competitive play.
“My older sister was playing, and I wanted to play too,” Lugo said.
Soccer took root in Lugo’s life.
When Lugo entered Clovis High School, soccer became a year-round commitment.
During the summer she played club soccer, which lasted up until the high school season started in the fall. By springtime when high school wound down, Lugo went right back to club ball.
“I did run track in high school, but soccer was a year-round thing,” Lugo said.
With her busy schedule of weightlifting and practice, Lugo doesn’t have much time for any extracurricular activities.
One of her favorite activities to do still involves soccer.
Lugo’s younger cousin is also a soccer player who is plays club ball. Her season at Clovis High School starts in October.
“I really enjoy watching her,” Lugo said. “She’s very good.”
Lugo enjoys trying to teach her cousin strategies and moves, although sometimes it doesn’t work out.
“She doesn’t like to listen much,” Lugo said.
Lugo’s father coaches her cousin and the club team.
Whenever Lugo has a weekend off from Fresno State soccer, she enjoys going to the movies and to dinner with her family. She also likes to travel with her family to her cousin’s soccer games.
Lugo is extremely close to her family, and they influenced her decision on what school to attend.
During her senior year of high school, Lugo’s father became ill and had a heart attack.
“All my life I wanted to go away for college, but I felt I couldn’t leave,” Lugo said. “My family is extremely important.”
Besides hanging out with her family and watching her cousin’s soccer games, Lugo really enjoys reading.
Lugo likes books that catch her eye. Her favorite book is “The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks.
“I read it years before the movie came out. I was hoping it would be made into a movie,” Lugo said.
Lugo wasn’t as fond of the movie as she was of the book though.
“Your imagination takes you to places a movie can’t,” Lugo said. “I like to read the books before I see the movies.”
Lugo won’t be doing more reading once her season is done. Lugo has another hobby in mind.
“I love tennis. I want to get into after college,” Lugo said.
Tennis will have to wait until her soccer season is up though.
Lugo says their biggest competition is Hawaii.
Last year in the WAC tourney, Fresno State beat Hawaii 2-1 in Lugo’s most memorable game.
“I scored both goals, and they were my first two of the year,” Lugo said.
With eight games left in the season, Lugo is sad to see her soccer career end.
“At the beginning of the season I was excited for it to be my last. Right now I’m scared in a way to finish,” Lugo said.
Lugo says playing at the Division I level has taught her how to be strong mentally and physically.
“You have to be dedicated and love it or it doesn’t really mean anything,” Lugo said.
Playing for Fresno State took Lugo to a level she never thought she could reach.
“It really built up my confidence. The confidence to take people on, to take a shot on goal and not give it up to someone else,” said Lugo. “You can have skill and ability to play really well, but you have to have confidence.”
Lugo has been a starter for the Fresno State women’s soccer team since her sophomore year. After all the years and dedication Lugo has put into soccer, she is ready to take the next challenge in her life — the real world.
“A lot of former players tell me I’ll be sad when it’s over, that I’m going to miss it,” Lugo said. “I’m just really excited to get a job — to start my life.”
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