Juan David has spent nearly his entire life chasing improvement on the soccer field.
Now entering his 14th year playing the sport, the Valley Center High School senior and captain is preparing for his final high school season with a combination of experience, ambition and a desire to leave a lasting legacy.
For David, the preparation for a season extends well beyond game days.
“I don’t just enjoy game days, I enjoy the entire process,” David said. “That includes practices, nutrition, academics and my mentality. Everything is done with full intent to improve and not only be a better athlete, but a student as well.”
David enters his senior season coming off a productive junior campaign in which he scored 19 goals and added seven assists. Valley Center finished 12-2-2 overall and 4-1-1 in district play, while David earned first-team AVCTL Division I honors as a forward.
With seven goals separating him from Valley Center’s career scoring record, David has his sights set on making history early in the season.
“As mentioned before, my main goal is to break the school record of career goals scored,” David said. “I’m just shy seven goals and believe I can knock the record out early on in the season.”
While individual accomplishments are important, David’s focus extends to the success of his teammates and the legacy they can build together.
Valley Center returns several key seniors, including Roy Aguilar and Micah Martin, two players David has shared the varsity field with since his freshman year.
“Roy Aguilar and Micah Martin have been the best teammates I could have asked for and I’m glad to be able to finish off my high school career with them by my side just like we began,” David said.
David also hopes to help Valley Center make a deep postseason run and capture another regional championship.
“I also believe that if we can figure things out early on in the season and start off strong, then we can go far and do well in the postseason, and ultimately win a third regional title in my four years,” David said.
Preparing for that opportunity required plenty of work during the offseason. David participated in summer practices organized by himself and other seniors, attended nearby identification camps and continued individual training at home.
He also spent much of his summer working for his father’s roofing company, creating another challenge as he tried to remain physically prepared for the soccer season.
“Roofing isn’t easy on your body, so to prevent injuries I prioritized recovery with foam rolling, stretching and proper nutrition and hydration at least three times a day, and made sure to get proper sleep as well,” David said.
Balancing roofing work with soccer training became one of David’s biggest offseason challenges, particularly while working through the Kansas heat.
“I believe one of the greatest challenges I had to overcome was remaining fit and pitch ready while working every day in roofing in the hot Kansas weather,” David said. “But regardless of my circumstances I persevered and found a way to balance it and stay healthy to be able to continue performing on the pitch.”
That same commitment has helped shape David throughout his soccer career. As he prepares for his final season at Valley Center, he is focused not only on what he can accomplish now, but also on creating opportunities for his future beyond high school.
“This year I look forward to beginning my last run as a senior and captain, and end strong,” David said. “But on top of that I look forward to what’s to come after my high school career and hoping this year increases my opportunities further.”
The season has already presented some ups and downs, but David has seen the team gain confidence during the preseason. Now, he is eager to see how far the group can go.
“I am excited to see what this group of guys can accomplish,” David said.
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