At age 10, Sophie Guitron started to suspect that one thing was incorrect. For 2 weeks, her excessive fever and rashes didn’t reply to any remedy.
“I went to the hospital and so they couldn’t discover what was incorrect with me. I had very excessive fevers, rashes throughout my physique and nothing managed the signs,” Guitron recalled.
She was initially identified with arthritis, however after a collection of checks, docs detected one thing far more critical: a uncommon congenital coronary heart illness that required open-heart surgical procedure.
“The ultimate prognosis was systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis. As an alternative of my joints changing into infected, my organs have been infected, and that’s how they found the center illness I used to be born with,” defined the Mira Costa Excessive graduate. Guitron was born with an anomaly within the aortic portion of the left coronary artery, an especially uncommon situation.
Her father, José, remembers that regardless of the ache, his daughter by no means misplaced her composure.
“She has all the time had a really excessive ache tolerance,” he stated.
In August 2018, Sophie Guitron underwent profitable surgical procedure at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto. Though her restoration was lengthy and emotionally troublesome, particularly as a result of she couldn’t instantly return to soccer, her sport for the reason that age of 6, that second marked the start of a brand new chapter.
Sophie Guitron lies in mattress recovering following her coronary heart operation.
(Courtesy of the Guitron household)
Throughout college breaks, whereas watching her classmates play flag soccer, one thing woke up in her. She realized the principles, determined to provide it a try to fell in love with this new sport. She joined a leisure group and gained a championship in a native league, in addition to the respect of her teammates, being the one lady on the group.
The title was particularly significant: Guitron scored the successful landing and was named most useful participant of the match.
Together with her ardour for this new sport rising, she joined a co-ed membership the place she continued to develop. In highschool, she realized that Mira Costa didn’t have a girls’s group. So she wrote on to the Chargers for assist. The NFL franchise responded by sponsoring the creation of the primary girls’s flag soccer group within the college’s historical past.
The trouble paid off. Throughout her senior 12 months, Guitron and Mira Costa gained the Bay League championship and achieved the varsity’s first playoff victory. Enjoying numerous positions, however excelling primarily as a large receiver, Guitron was acknowledged because the league’s most useful participant and acquired Division 2 All-CIF honors.
Her improvement was partly due to the Conquer Chargers membership in Irvine. Her dad and mom supported her by driving her to apply, a visit that took greater than an hour every solution to and from Orange County.
Sophie Guitron holds up the primary flag soccer trophy she ever gained.
(Courtesy of the Guitron household)
Guitron’s Conquer Chargers coach, Justin Schulman, highlighted not solely her talent but in addition her mindset: “She knew what she needed, she sought us out on social media, and she or he earned her spot. She’s a really gifted runner, however above all, she’s decided.”
In 2024, she represented the US within the Junior Worldwide Flag Soccer Cup, successful the gold medal in opposition to groups from Canada, Japan, Panama and Mexico.
Her development didn’t go unnoticed. The NFL just lately selected her to be a part of the “Chase One thing” marketing campaign, alongside quarterback Jayden Daniels and Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles. The marketing campaign urges younger athletes to pursue their desires.
She had beforehand been awarded the NFL Latino Youth Honors 2024 in New Orleans, an occasion that celebrates Latino seniors with athletic and educational achievements. With a 4.2 GPA and nominated by the Rams, she acquired $25,000 for her school schooling.
Sophie Guitron catches the ball whereas enjoying flag soccer. She will be able to play many positions, however broad receiver is her favourite.
(Courtesy of the NFL)
Guitron, 18, will play flag soccer for Keiser College in Florida, alongside different rising stars of the game resembling Janasia Wilson and Ashlea Klam. She plans to check sports activities administration and has already represented the US on the U17 degree.
However her greatest dream is evident: to make it to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the place flag soccer will make its debut within the Olympic program.
“I’m working very exhausting to be on the 2028 Video games, however my profession gained’t finish there. I’m younger and I additionally need to make it to the 2032 Olympics,” stated Guitron, who’s 5-foot-5.
Schulman, Guitron’s coach, says there isn’t any doubt that she is going to succeed.
“She is so devoted to the game,” he stated. “… I’ve already requested her to save lots of me tickets to see her in Los Angeles.”
Sophie Guitron solutions questions through the NFL Latino Youth Honors pink carpet.
(Cortesía NFL Honors)
With deep Latino roots, the daughter of Lilia, born in Mexico, and José, a Californian with Mexican dad and mom, Guitron can also be conscious she is a task mannequin.
“I’m proud to be American, but in addition Mexican American. It’s an honor to characterize Latinas in sports activities. I really like being that particular person,” Guitron stated.
Her father agrees: “I remind her that she is a pioneer. She is a part of a motion that, sooner or later, can be historical past.”
Though her arthritis remains to be current, in remission however with occasional flares of ache, Guitron believes that her experiences have made her stronger.
“I’m very grateful for the whole lot I’ve been by means of, regardless that it has been troublesome,” Guitron stated. “It has made me who I’m.”
This article first appeared in Spanish through L.A. Instances en Español.
