As the soccer ball zig-zags across the field, midfielder Yuno Fernandez is in the middle of the action.  Fernandez, a senior and a varsity captain for the Junction City High School soccer team plays with intensity to motivate his teammates.

“I’ve been playing soccer for a while, I never really played competitively until freshman year,” Fernandez said.

This is Fernandez’s fourth year playing on the team and his first year as one of the varsity captains.

“It feels good and I’m glad the coaches think I could lead the team but it just feels like a big responsibility as far as trying to keep the team together,” Fernandez said. “I want to keep the intensity up and try to be the best role model for everyone else especially the younger guys on JV.”

For many athletes, school work impacts who gets to play in the next game. Fernandez works to manage his time and the requirements of school and his commitments to the team.

“It’s hard because sometimes you will get home late after practice and games, and you still have to do homework,” Fernandez said.

“Usually teachers are lenient and will understand if you tell them you need more time to do work. Sometimes it’s a little hard but it’s not impossible,” he explained.

One of Fernandez’s goals for the season is to serve as a role model for younger team members.

“I’m looking forward to uniting the team and I’m hoping to get some wins and to keep pushing the team as hard as I can,” Fernandez said.

“One of my bigger goals is to help out the younger guys on JV so they can continue to be more successful.”