By MARK REIN Star-Herald
Western Nebraska Community College soccer player Andrea Jimenez will be taking her soccer talents to the next level after she signed to play at Central Methodist University in Missouri on Wednesday.
Jimenez, who will be heading to Central Methodist in January, said it was an easy decision to choose Central Methodist after visiting the school.
“When I was looking at the program, it was a pretty competitive school overall. They just won their conference and went to nationals. The high expectation that the coach has for all of his players is something that I really need for me to grow. One of my former teammates, Raquel is down there and she is excited for me and the new journey.’
When Jimenez heads across I70 to her new college from her hometown of Denver, she will have someone she knows as she will be joining former Cougar Raquel Ferreira. Jimenez said she helped her in the journey to Central Methodist.
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“I am pretty close to her overall and she has helped me with the process of signing up to the school, getting in touch with the coach, and putting in a good word for me,” she said. “I appreciate that and I have played with her so it is nice that I get to play with her again and I am looking forward to it.”
Central Methodist is a competitive NAIA school that went 19-3-1 and lost in the second round of the NAIA national tourney. Two years ago, the team went 22-2 and lost in the semifinals to William Carey University.
Jimenez is excited to continue her playing career in college and hopefully beyond.
“I always had that passion and ambition for my sport and it is very unexplainable,” she said. “It has helped me grow as a person overall. I started playing very young and I honestly didn’t picture myself in this situation. I know I am making my younger self happy and proud of myself. If I don’t continue professionally, I know the sport is something I left.”
Jimenez graduated from Adams City High School in Denver and spent the last three years playing at WNCC. She got that extra year because of the COVID pandemic. In her three seasons at WNCC, she scored 20 goals with nine assists with a shot-on-goal percentage of .500. She scored 12 goals in her freshman year in the spring of 2021 and then scored four goals each of the past two seasons.
Jimenez said she has grown as a player and person in her 2 ½ years at WNCC.
“I definitely had some ups and downs and I am not going to say it was all rainbows and butterflies,” she said. “But I persisted with my goals and ambitions and I know this extra semester helped me grow a lot and wherever I go, there is always room for growth. The challenges that make us uncomfortable are the ones that help us grow a lot. My coaches, my teammates helped me grow a lot. I know if I continue to have that strong mentality, I can get anywhere.”
Her time at WNCC is coming to an end as in a week, after final tests next week, Jimenez will be saying goodbye to her current teammates as she gets ready to head to Central Methodist in January. Jimenez said it will definitely be hard saying goodbye to her teammates, the ones she shared a special bond with.
“It is going to be difficult (when I leave). WNCC will always be a part of me. People affected me in a lot of ways,” Jimenez said while getting choked up with emotion. “I know they were there not only as teammates but best friends and I really appreciate that from them. I have met great people here from different countries, from the same state, just kind of a mixture of everything. I am really happy that I have had this experience. There is nothing I will change about it and there is no regret. I am leaving with peace with the school and I would definitely recommend it to my friends.”
It is those friendships that she gained that she will cherish for a lifetime and getting to meet players from Brazil, New Zealand, and different states is what makes college sports special.
“At the end of the day, we all have the same passion and the same love for the sport,” she said. “I surround myself with them because they have the same ambition as me and that is something that has helped me grow as a player. I think we always push each other to do our best during training or during games. It is nice to be getting that mixture.”
Jimenez said her soccer success could not have been possible without the support of her mom, family, and friends.
I would like to mention my mom being the biggest influence both on and off the field,” she said. “She has been my strongest motivator since I first started playing soccer. My family is what makes me continue playing soccer and continue my career. My family, friends, and loved ones will be with me wherever I go in my journey. I am excited for the new experiences and challenges ahead.”
Jimenez will major in psychology and hopefully be somewhere in the psychology of sports.
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