After a standout season for Salina South, Adrian Lara-Castro is eager to get back on the field and see what the Cougars can accomplish together.
“I’m most excited to compete with my teammates and see what we can accomplish together,” Lara-Castro said. “I’m ready to get back out there.”
Lara-Castro returns as one of Salina South’s key players after producing 19 goals and six assists last season. The midfielder’s offensive production helped the Cougars reach the Class 5A state quarterfinals, marking the program’s third consecutive trip to the quarterfinal round.
Lara-Castro also earned first-team Class 5A All-State honors from the Kansas High School Soccer Coaches Association following the season.
Now, he is focused on making another jump in his game.
“I’ve been training almost every day, working on my fitness and technical skills,” Lara-Castro said. “I’ve also been playing as much as I can to stay sharp.”
That preparation has given Lara-Castro a clear idea of what he wants to improve when the season begins. Rather than simply focusing on scoring more goals, he wants to become a more complete player, particularly when the game reaches the attacking third.
“I want to improve on my finishing and decision-making, especially in the final third,” Lara-Castro said.
His individual goals go beyond statistics. Lara-Castro wants to establish himself as a player his teammates can count on every time he steps onto the field.
“Individually, I want to be a consistent player who can make an impact every game and keep improving,” he said.
Lara-Castro’s ambitions also extend to the entire Salina South program. After another strong postseason showing, the Cougars are looking to take the next step and make a deep run.
“As a team, I want us to compete and make a deep run,” Lara-Castro said.
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