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Thornwood co-op’s Carmen Valadez followed her older brother, Ramon, into soccer.
Ramon, however, is now a WWE-style professional wrestler known as Tigre Amore. For the record, Carmen does not plan on accompanying him down that unconventional path.
“It’s actually kind of motivating seeing what he’s doing,” Valadez said. “He’s his own, independent person and I think I can be my own, independent person, too.
“I will stick with soccer, though.”
Valadez has good reason to plan for her future on the soccer field.
A three-year star for the Thunderbirds, the senior midfielder and South Suburban College recruit scored her 49th career goal just 22 seconds into Thursday’s game, helping visiting Thornwood co-op earn a 1-1 tie with Homewood-Flossmoor.
The game was called early in the second half due to lightning.
Valadez’s goal was her 10th of the season for Thornwood co-op (9-2-1). Dakota Dixon scored her seventh goal of the season on a penalty kick for H-F (4-5-2).
A big thing for Valadez is holding herself to a high standard. As a sophomore, she tallied 24 goals and 20 assists in her varsity debut. Last season, she had 15 goals and 10 assists.
Those are solid totals, but she was not satisfied.
“I felt like I stunk really bad as a player last year, but my coaches helped me a lot to have a positive mindset, helped me as a player and helped me to socialize with my team more,” Valadez said. “If it wasn’t for the coaches, I wouldn’t have the confidence I have now.
“They help me overcome the negative features of myself.”
Valadez is leading the way in what could end up being the best season in program history for the Thunderbirds, who are atop the Southland Conference with a 6-0 record.
“She’s come out of her shell more,” Thornwood co-op coach David Gonzalez said of Valadez. “She’s helping out more with the team and trying to get everyone on the same page.
“She’s obviously very talented, she plays hard, and it lets the girls see somebody who’s an example of what we’re looking for on the field.”
Valadez said in order for her to lead the team the right way, she had to lighten up a bit.
“In the beginning of the year, I was overloading my team,” she said. “I know not everybody plays at the level where they’re trying to keep playing in college. Some people play for fun and as a hobby, and I just try to make it fun for everybody at the end of the day.”
Still, H-F fought back after Valadez’s stunningly quick opening strike.
In the 34th minute, Dixon battled through contact from Thornwood co-op goalkeeper Noemi Torres Real and multiple defenders before drawing a foul in the box.
Dixon converted the penalty kick despite some less-than-ideal circumstances.
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“My contact came out and I couldn’t see, so it was a little hectic,” Dixon said. “I had to pop it back in and gather myself.
“When I take PKs, I try to go as fast as I can and aim for a corner. I guess it worked.”
H-F has had some impressive showings this season, with a 3-2 loss to Lincoln-Way Central and a 1-1 tie against Lincoln-Way West.
The Vikings, with Dixon in a starring role, hope to be a dangerous team in the playoffs.
“She wants it more than anybody out there on any team we’ve played so far,” H-F coach Ali Farkos said of Dixon. “She just keeps going and she’s never going to stop. She’s really leading the team.
“Now we have to come together as a team. Some of those little mistakes we’re making have to end. Those bigger dogs are going to make us pay for those every time.”
Steve Millar is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
