Upland girls soccer starts season strong
UPLAND, Calif. — “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice, and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” These wise words are brought to you by the head coach of the Upland high school girls’ soccer team. And while the season is still very much underway, Jenn Garbick and her squad are finding success by understanding and executing on the meaning of that statement.
The team is currently nine games into the season, and has yet to concede a loss! On top of that, they have outscored their opponents 12-3 and are currently on a 4-game win streak. Led by captains Bella Ortiz, Gisele Spiers, and Camila Parra, this group has no intentions of squandering this streak any time soon. Last season was tough for the team as a whole, but the unfamiliar taste of defeat has motivated the entire program to stay focused and get better throughout the season. When asked to speak on the team’s motivation this year, Coach Garbick added, “This team has a lot of grit, dedication and works hard. They don’t give up easily and continue to battle during tough matches.”
Speaking of Highlanders’ success, the girls soccer program won the CIF Southern California Division 1 State Regional Championship in both 2018 and 2020. With that in the back of their minds, they seem to be well on their way to returning to the playoffs and bringing another championship back to Upland. If their current undefeated record wasn’t enough to prove this, they also recently beat Claremont in the semi-finals, going on to beat Etiwanda in the finals, 1-0, in the Claremont Tournament.
As any athlete knows, it is extremely difficult to win on talent alone. And while the team certainly does not lack talent, Coach Garbick also has made sure that team chemistry is at the forefront of their identity. In order to welcome new team members and ensure that everyone is willing to leave it all out on the field for each other, the team has taken part in many different volunteering events and team bonding outings. “This year, we surprised them (new members) of the team with welcome signs and got them little treats to welcome the new varsity members. We also do a lot of team building throughout the season. For example, Knotts Scary Farm, UCLA game, pumpkin carving contest, team meals, Christmas party, volunteering at Boxes of Love, volunteering to referee games for Upland Elementary Athletics, buddy gifts and Wednesday check-ins with their groups. We also do lessons on positive mindsets and how to incorporate that on and off the field,” said Coach Garbick.
As the team nears the halfway mark of the 22/23 season, they need to abide by another quote from their coach now more than ever. “It’s not about how bad you want it. It’s about how hard you’re willing to work for it.”
Best of luck, Highlanders!
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