Long before a trophy was lifted and even before a ball was kicked, those in the know could feel that something special was brewing within last season’s MiraCosta College women's soccer team.

 

In a season that culminated with a near-perfect record and conference championship, the members of the 2024 soccer team proved that success isn't just about talent – it's about leadership, personal growth, and most of all, unity.

 

“We became a family,” explained Lena Bachman (#7), a second-year player and one of the team’s captains this past season. Behind the scenes of every long summer practice and hard-fought win was a group of women who came together to achieve something memorable on the field and create a set of lifelong bonds off the field.

 

When the preseason kicked off in the summer of 2024, the team was coming off a successful 2023 campaign and the returning players were feeling particularly bullish. The incoming class of players added to an already-strong team and the only question that remained was whether they could build the chemistry needed to succeed over the course of a long season.

 

For Lena, the team's success story paralleled her own journey of finding a home away from home at MiraCosta College. Growing up in the tight-knit community of Valley Center where everyone knew one another, Lena initially felt uncertain about stepping into the unknown.

 

"I remember how hard it was to step out of my comfort zone during those early days at MiraCosta College," she recalled.

 

Those feelings of uncertainty took on new meaning when her parents and younger siblings moved out of state during her first year, leaving her without the familiar faces in the stands during home games. Yet what could have been a challenging transition instead became a testament to the family-like atmosphere the soccer team and the school helped cultivate. The soccer program, along with MiraCosta's supportive faculty and staff, filled that void with a new kind of community.

 

Long van rides to away games became opportunities for connection, and Lena relished every moment that was filled with jokes and personal stories from teammates who she now considers best friends.

 

The team's focus on building community together proved equally meaningful for fellow captain Jazmyne Arispe (#10). Having quit soccer at age 16, she found her way back to the sport when MiraCosta College Coach Matt Hall reached out about joining the program.

 

"Soccer has always been my happy place," Jazmyne reflected. "I stepped away years ago when I lost that feeling, but I'm so glad I decided to return after I got the call from MiraCosta College."

 

What made the team truly special for Jazmyne wasn't just their play on the field, it was how they supported one another through every challenge. For Jazmyne, who manages Type 1 diabetes while playing, this meant having coaches who kept extra snacks in their office for when her blood sugar dropped, and teammates who supported each other after challenging days in the classroom or at home.

 

"Yes, it was nice to win," Jazmyne noted, "but it was the friendships and the community that I’ll never forget with this group. Even on tough days or when faced with challenges or obstacles, I always found a safe place going to soccer practice or being surrounded by my teammates."

 

This spirit of mutual support defined the team's approach to team building. Rather than emphasizing hierarchy, the captains fostered an environment of equality and shared responsibility. "One thing about our team is that we didn’t look at everyone like 'you are the captains and you tell us what to do,'" Lena explained. More than anything, it was important for the coaches and captains to create an atmosphere where everyone could be themselves and have an impact.

 

Athletic Director Patrick Conahan doubled down on those sentiments by stating, “First and foremost, our goal in the MiraCosta College athletic department is to create positive environments so that our student-athletes feel valued and supported. Our coaches and support staff do a remarkable job of balancing that focus with challenging students to attack excellence in everything that they do. We have great coaches here, but it needs to be said that without a campus full of people that genuinely care about students, the type of success our programs have achieved over the last decade, wouldn’t be possible.”

 

For the MiraCosta College women's soccer program, the 2024 season will be remembered not just for the championship trophy, but for the way the team came together as a family. And with another strong set of players preparing to lead the way in 2025, the program is already setting its sights on another playoff run.