GALT, CA (MPG) - This year for the first time Galt High School announced two male athletes of the year during the graduation ceremony.

Athletic Director John van den Raadt called Miguel Garcia up to the stage to be honored.

“Athlete Miguel Garcia overcame great personal hardships during his time in high school, navigating loss without ever losing sight of his ambitions,” said van den Raadt. “He serves as a role model for his teammates, in particular the younger members of his team that look up to him. As a 4-year member of the varsity soccer team, he had a breakout season this year earning the title of national top scorer as well as earning multiple all league patches and being named the SVC league MVP.”

Garcia played varsity soccer all four years at Galt high, earning an unprecedented all-league honor all four years and being named SVC league MVP twice.

When Garcia joined the team, Alfredo Renteria was the head coach. Garcia had played middle and told Renteria, “Whatever you do, don’t put me as a striker.” Renteria didn’t listen to Garcia and put him in as striker from the beginning. While Garcia didn’t score his first game, he scored in his second game as a freshman and the rest is history.

“Alfredo’s one of the best coaches I know,” said Garcia. “He had a vision and he knew what was best for me.”

Garcia scored 60 goals his senior year and that happens to be the most goals scored by anyone in our nation for Winter soccer.  Garcia, who has been playing soccer since he was 3 years old, always gave it his all. He said he knows it was a financial sacrifice for his parents, paying for all the clubs and gear, so he never took that for granted and worked hard.

Miguel experienced a horrible tragedy when his mother succumbed to a headache while on a visit to Mexico and went into a coma his junior year. She did not survive, and though he misses and mourns her loss drastically, he plays to the best of his ability to make her proud. 

“When my mom was here, she focused on my soccer as much as I did,” said Garcia. “So, when she passed away, the only thing correct for me to do was to continue playing soccer. At one point I was wondering if I should stop because of all the mixed emotions. I felt like if I kept playing soccer, then she would be looking down on me and that was the right thing to do.”

Garcia also stayed motivated to keep his grades up and lead the team to league championships his junior and senior year. When asked how he developed his leadership skills, Garcia responded: “I think it’s more of a fact that I just don’t like losing,” said Garcia. “I feel like if I lead, then we are all on the same page. If we aren’t on the same page, we are not going anywhere.”

Garcia says the team comes before him and he will shoot or pass depending on what is best for the team.

Two of his favorite coaches happen to be brothers. Alehandro Renteria took over the team from his brother Alfredo. “In terms of fun and having a good time I would say Alehandro,” said Garcia. “In terms of teaching me my skills and who taught me who I am today, it would be Fredo. He didn’t care what I had to say and always knew what was the best for me.”

Garcia started playing competition soccer when he was 12, and his parents sacrificed so he could play on those teams.

 “My parents gave me everything when they didn’t have it, so why shouldn’t I give them everything when I have the skills?”

Garcia will be playing soccer for Cosumnes River College in the fall. He did have some interest from some of the pro teams in Mexico, but Garcia has seen many good players head that way and noticed it doesn’t usually pan out, so he will play the sport he loves and continue his education.

Garcia’s favorite memory has to do with cross-town rivals Liberty Ranch. 

“It was literally perfect for me,” said Garcia. “My goal was to beat Liberty and what a challenge that was. My freshman year we played them twice. We tied and lost. My sophomore year we tied and lost again. My junior year we tied twice, even though we were league champions. Senior year we tied the first game and my last chance we finally beat them on the second game. That was a great moment where we finally beat the crosstown rivals.”