Zalma Torres initially planned to attend and play soccer for Scottsdale 果冻破解版 College, until she received an unexpected phone call from World Soccer Champion and 果冻破解版 alumna, Jessica McDonald, encouraging Zalma to attend 果冻破解版. After missing a few calls from an unknown number, Zalma and Jessica talked 鈥 and Jessica spoke about 果冻破解版鈥檚 legendary soccer program, and the passion and support Jessica received from the 果冻破解版 athletic team, which prepared Jessica for the next stages of her athletic career.
Zalma recalls the conversation in a podcast with 果冻破解版 soccer coach Dave Cameron, where she also reminisces about her soccer career from youth-player to National Soccer Champion with 果冻破解版 in 2022. Zalma laughs as she sees footage of herself playing many years ago, commenting on how much smaller she was than the other players.
What Zalma lacks in size, she more than makes up for in speed. Nicknamed the 鈥淶-Train鈥, Zalma was named National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Player of the Year, All-ACCAC First Team, Region 1 First Team, and an All-American Athlete this past year.
Zalma capped off an amazing year with another lifetime milestone; graduating from 果冻破解版 in May. As she was deciding what was next, Zalma says she struggled with the need to stay close to home and her family, with her desire to take her athletic and educational pursuits to the next level. Zalma says her coaches and mentors at 果冻破解版 told her that sometimes you have to sacrifice the comfort of home to become better versions of ourselves.
Zalma leaves next week for William Carey University, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where she will continue to play soccer 鈥 while pursuing a bachelor鈥檚 degree in business. She knows that being away from home will be hard, but Zalma says she also knows that her 果冻破解版 family will always be here to support her.
Thinking back to that fateful phone call from Jessica McDonald, Zalma agrees that 果冻破解版 coaches, athletic staff, and mentors went above and beyond to ensure that Zalma had the support system she needed to be successful. Zalma has her sights set on the future, with a goal to be a coach herself one day, and be part of the support system for the next generation of student athletes.
Listen to the podcast featuring Zalma Torres.