For senior Katherine Lugo, soccer is a family business.

Her father played the sport when he was in college so it was no surprise when her parents put her in a program at the age of four and that she would take it up immediately. She continued playing all the way to high school where she got her next challenge of being one of the girls’ soccer captains.

“I don’t let the whole captain thing make me feel like I’m better than the rest of the rest of the team,” Lugo said. “Basically being a captain you have to be supportive of your team. Since it’s a growing program, we had to bond together and it’s very stressful. Being a captain you have to support the bonding and encourage it.”

The team come closer together this year, which is one of the things Lugo will miss most when she graduates in the spring. From eating M&Ms and dancing before a game to watching YouTube videos with the whole team to speaking with each other on the field with British accents, every little thing will be missed.

“People probably think we are crazy, but it’s fun to see their reactions,” Lugo said. “I’m going to miss being around the whole team. They are definitely a release when you have a bad day.”

The team has had their strongest season yet. The Lady Raiders sealed their first playoff berth with a win over Marble Falls in the second round. The team has advanced to playoffs this year, which leaves this captain leaving words of wisdom for future players.

“To make it as a senior, it’s probably the best way to go out for sure,” Lugo said. “We’ve worked hard to be able to make playoffs. We barely missed it last year and it’s just very exciting. We are no longer the team that when people go in, they think, ‘Oh, it’s just Rouse.’ Now, they have to fight for it.”