Varsity boys soccer captain and senior Diego Fernandez has been named the first Athlete of the Week for the 2025-26 school year. Diego has already made a significant impact on the team this season, scoring against Fenwick and Whitney Young in the first two matches of the season and assisting on a goal against Montini Catholic.

Diego’s first experience with soccer was at the age of 4, when he started playing in his local park recreational club. However, it wasn’t the only sport he attempted at the time. “I tried swimming, I tried karate, but soccer was the one that stuck with me,” Diego said.

By age 6, his passion for soccer carried him to play with Chicago Black Lions, a club his father founded in hopes to give Diego and his older brother the guidance and mentorship that he wished he had as a young player in Mexico. Diego’s father onced played for Leones Negros UdeG, a professional academy in Mexico, and his brother, Miguel Fernandez ‘24, played soccer for Latin.

Both have influenced and inspired Diego’s passion for the sport. “[They] motivated me to just keep working hard and keep doing what I love,” he said.

For Diego, soccer is more than just a sport; it's a way for him to grow both on and off the field. “Soccer has helped me [build] my leadership and socializing skills because it is all about communication and getting along with your teammates, coaches, and the parents,” Diego said.

Diego demonstrated these skills in his most memorable soccer game to date, playing against Lake Forest Academy during his sophomore year. “It was a must-win game, we were struggling, [but] I scored two goals with the assists of my teammates,” Diego said. “[Even though] we didn’t win, we tied.”

Now serving as the team’s co-captain, Diego embraces his leadership role with a clear vision. “My goal is for my teammates to have fun and to help them grow,” Diego said. “We could possibly win the ISL and go far in state, but it’s only if we have the right mindset.”