For Northern Arizona soccer junior
Valerie Llamas, soccer has always been more than a game. It has been an escape, a source of confidence and, perhaps most importantly, a way to become comfortable being herself.
Llamas has spent nearly her entire life with a soccer ball at her feet. But as her career has progressed, the sport has shaped more than just her abilities on the field. It has helped her grow from a young girl playing in her grandmother's backyard into an established Division I player and a leader who is finding her voice.
"I feel like it's my escape for anything," Llamas said.
Llamas first began playing soccer at age five while also participating in other sports. When her parents told her she must ultimately focus on one to pursue seriously, she chose soccer.
Her introduction to the sport was simple. She played in her grandmother's backyard and brought her family members into the games. After joining AYSO in California, coaches and parents noticed her talent and encouraged her to pursue club soccer.
When Llamas moved from California to Arizona at 11, soccer became more serious. She joined a club team and began to consider what her future might hold if she went "all in" on soccer.
Then came the game that gave her a taste of that future.
While still with her club team, Llamas scored a game-winning goal and left the field with a realization: "Soccer is going to change my life."
By the time she reached Desert Edge High School, her development became more noticeable. She started all four seasons and eventually became team captain as a senior. She scored 108 goals and assisted on 42 more, while racking up numerous individual honors. Llamas earned multiple All-Region selections and was a three-time Regional Offensive Player of the Year.
Yet, these accomplishments were never what mattered most to Llamas.
She remembered the rivalry games, particularly the ones filled with momentum swings and competitive intensity. She also remembered who made her feel welcome and who looked up to her. As a captain, Llamas saw her role as more than simply being the team's best player. She strove to help younger teammates by leading by example and helping them to realize their potential, like so many had done for her before.
"At the end of the day, I remembered that I have to stay humble and help the girls as well," Llamas explained.
This mentality followed her to NAU.
When Llamas chose to be a Lumberjack, she wanted to remain close enough to home for her family to attend games while still experiencing the independence of college. Most importantly, she found a team culture that felt like home.
"I feel like the culture that is built here just checked my top box," Llamas said with a smile. "At the end of the day, we're a team and we're always going to be sisters."
Her transition to Division I soccer, however, was not easy.
As a freshman, Llamas struggled with the speed and physicality of the college game. The high altitude in Flagstaff added another challenge of staying conditioned and mentally focused. She appeared in 14 matches and started six, totaling 547 minutes.
Not wanting to assume she was entitled to anything at this level, Llamas understood that she had to earn her role. Toward the end of her freshman season, increased minutes and encouragement from her coaches and teammates helped her realize that she could compete and make an impact here. She continued to build chemistry with her teammates and gained the confidence that she would contribute more during her sophomore season.
At the end of the season, Llamas knew exactly what she needed to improve.
She spent the summer working on her defensive game and her mindset. She began to challenge the negative thoughts that crept into her game, embracing the mentality that she "gets to be there" rather than "has to be there."
That mental shift carried into her sophomore season. Llamas returned to preseason feeling ready to take the next step. She wanted to contribute more—score goals and assists.
She accomplished those goals, starting in 17 of 19 games and earning All-Big Sky honors after recording three goals and three assists for nine points. She remembers her goal against Utah Tech as a personal turning point. After scoring and adding an assist against the Trailblazers, Llamas felt something click.
"I was super excited," she said. "I realized I was going to contribute more to the team this year."
The recognition she received at the end of the season gave her another boost mentally. Being named Second Team All-Big Sky helped Llamas believe that her dream of playing professionally was possible. More than the statistics, Llamas believes that her growth as a person is one of the biggest changes soccer has brought her.
Off the field, she describes herself as someone who can be outgoing but can also be quiet. She likes making people laugh, meeting new people and getting to know her teammates better.
Soccer has given her an environment where those qualities can flourish. Now, as an upperclassman, she knows that being a leader will require her to take another step outside her comfort zone.
"I know that being more vocal and communicative to the team is crucial," Llamas said.
She wants younger players to see her as more than just a soccer player—she wants them to know who she is. That might be the clearest sign of how far she has come. The five-year-old who found an escape in her grandmother's backyard has grown into a college soccer player who wants to leave a lasting impression on everyone around her.
Her goals on the field have grown, too: First Team All-Big Sky honors and the conference's Golden Boot are among the aspirations she has set for herself. Head Coach
Alan Berrios believes in that possibility and is excited for more in her junior year.
"She is a player who has truly paid her dues and has developed tremendously over the past two seasons." he said of Llamas.
But when Llamas eventually looks back on her time at NAU, she hopes that her legacy extends beyond awards and statistics, something Berrios has encouraged from her as well.
"Her ability to manipulate the ball, take players on, and create something out of nothing is unique and extremely difficult to defend." Berrios said. "We have challenged her to be consistent and, most importantly, to be herself."
She hopes to be remembered as someone humble, approachable and always willing to bring positive energy into a room.
"I think just always having a smile on my face," Llamas admits. "I get told a lot that I'm constantly smiling and bringing this energy and this happiness."
For
Valerie Llamas, soccer helped her find that smile.
Now, as she enters the next chapter of her career, she is learning how to use her voice, lead her teammates and embrace the person she has become.
