Like many 15-year-olds, high schooler America Romero is just trying to figure herself out.
The Douglas High School sophomore is more on the reserved side, some would even say she’s shy.
But once the varsity soccer goalkeeper gets in the net, all that timidness flies out the window.
“Even though she’s young, she’s very vocal on the field,” said Mario Romero, the head coach of Douglas’ girls varsity soccer team. “Once she’s on the field, you see the competitor in her and stuff. And she’s very good. It’s amazing to watch her.”
Romero has played a big role in the Bulldogs’ 11-1 overall record, plus going undefeated in their region and conference.
In 12 regular season games, Romero has completed 95 saves (127 total if you include the Time to Fly Soccer Classic). She recorded 15 and 17 saves during the team’s wins against Safford and Tanque Verde high schools and 15 saves during their only loss against Buena High School. The current national average is 34 saves.
Douglas’ goalkeeper America Romero, center, celebrates the clean sheet with teammates Hailey Barco, left, and Abby Gonzalez after a 2-0 win at Sahuarita High School on Feb. 5, 2025.
Her saves record has landed her spots on local, state and national leaderboards.
She’s currently No. 1 in the 4A Gila division, No. 16 in Arizona and No. 97 nationally.
Earning those spots is no easy feat in the high-intensity game of soccer. But, Romero isn’t fazed by the pressure.
Instead, she uses that pressure as a tool to learn and improve.
“I know some people are like, ‘It’s a difficult job’ and while it really is a difficult job, I just take into mind if something happens, it could end up being a team effort or whatever (to save the game),” she said. “But with the pressure, I just go and do it, but obviously, there will always be pressure because if the ball is past you, it’s a go on you and it may result into a loss. So, I just enjoy the game and really don’t think about it as much. I think about it more in the beginning and at the end and what I could fix and what I like to do.”
Romero is a lifelong soccer player, who got her start playing with her dad’s team when she was a kid. She’s been a goalkeeper ever since.
Douglas’ goalkeeper America Romero (00) scoops up the ball ahead of the crash on goal in the second half at Sahuarita High School, Feb. 5, 2025.
For her, soccer is almost like a form of therapy.
“Sometimes your body is tired and you’re tired and you have school and you have a lot of stuff to do, but I just push through,” she said. “Sometimes soccer is my relief.”
Romero joined the varsity soccer team at the beginning of her freshman year. Coach Romero, who has been coaching at Douglas for over a decade (and has no relation to America Romero), immediately knew she was the right fit for the team.
“She’s dynamic, bottom line,” Coach Romero said.
Coach Romero says that America often tells other players where they need to be during a match, something he hasn’t seen previously.
“She already has that role model leadership (trait) and on top of things, she’s very humble,” added Gilbert Aguilar, the team’s assistant coach. “She doesn’t understand the position she’s in right now, not just academically (she has a 3.9 GPA), but also as an athlete, she doesn’t realize that because, to her, it’s ‘I’m just playing soccer, I’m a goalie.’ But in truth, she’s a very unique human being with compassion and she has a big heart.”
Over the last couple of years, Douglas Soccer has been on quite the ride. In the ‘22-’23 season, they went 3-9 overall, followed by 7-5 in ‘23-’24 to 11-1 this season.
“We’re in a situation right now where good things are happening for us with this team,” Coach Romero said. “Because let me tell you, two years ago, we took it in the shorts for the whole season. … We needed a Band-Aid to stop the bleeding.”
Now, the team has a real chance at winning the state championship.
“Who wouldn’t want to win state? I want to win state,” Romero said. “And hopefully, maybe it will be this year, I don’t know, but hopefully we get farther, if anything, and make history.”
Their first step toward that goal begins this week as they take on Scottsdale’s Notre Dame Prep on Tuesday, Feb. 11.
Although Romero is only a sophomore and still has two years left before graduation, she’s already thinking about what she wants to do after high school.
Douglas’ goalkeeper America Romero (00) gets warmed up as the Bulldogs prepare to take on Sahuarita in a 4A Gila region game at Sahuarita High School, Feb. 5, 2025.
There’s no question about playing soccer at the college level for Romero. That’s her biggest priority. She says she’d love to play for UCLA.
Ultimately, she wants to become an orthodontist, something that was inspired by her love of making rubber band bracelets.
Before then, she might make a stop at Cochise College. But she’s not super worried about her college choices at the moment because the possibilities are endless this early in the game.
“We’ve been doing great,” Romero said of her sophomore season. “Last year, we had good games and I had a lot more saves, but this year, I still have a good amount of saves but not as much, which means that my team has been doing so much better. So, it’s just amazing, because, (for example), yesterday, everybody expected us not to win, but we ended up pulling that one. And it’s just amazing how far we get and how we prove everyone wrong every single time.”
Fast five with America
Who is your favorite soccer player?
Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa
What player is on your dream soccer team?
Alex Morgan
Where is your dream place to play soccer?
Estadio Azteca in Mexico City
What’s your favorite pre-match snack?
A Bueno chocolate
What’s your favorite class right now?
Sports medicine
