It all began with a knock on the door. “I remember how I started—I was friends with Lino when I was a kid and his dad was a coach at the time. Coach Gabriel, who was Lino’s dad, showed up at my doorstep and asked my mom if I could play,” said Clinton High School senior Armando Santoyo. “Ever since then, my mom put me on the team and coach Gabriel helped me find the love and passion for the game I still play today.”
Soccer quickly became more than a game—it became a calling. “What inspired me was my mom and coach Gabriel,” he said. “My mom because she put me in the sport and knew I would thrive… coach Gabriel gave me that opportunity and helped me become the player I am today and is still helping me to become even better. He’s been there as a father figure, helping me on the field and off the field.”
The bond he shares with his teammates runs deep. “At the start of our season, we were unsure about our position, but because we grew up together playing, we did decent,” Armando said. “Now that we got everything figured out, I would say our chemistry is at its very highest.”
As a defender, his teammates rely on him every game. “More than half of my teammates depend on me to not let the other team score,” he said. “I come with a calm mindset and humble mindset, but when I hear that whistle for the kickoff, I get instantly locked in the game.”
His proudest moment? “When I scored the game winner against Fort Gibson in the semifinals and we went to state.”
And while he’s still planning his next step, his heart is in the right place. “I see myself making good money in the electrician job I’ll be working and taking care of my kid and my girlfriend,” Armando said. “I would like to thank my family… and coach Gabriel for helping me grow as a player and thrive.”