Independence High School’s girls soccer team is truly an amazing environment. The team is like a caring and loving family. They have won many games together; they have been through some losses together, but through thick and thin, they have always been there for each other. The team has been run by Michelle Monaghan, Coach Angel, Coach V, Coach Esme, and Coach Millet. The coaches and players have all put in a great amount of effort to be the best they can be; all the hard work, blood, sweat, and tears they have sacrificed has really paid off as the season came to an end, and they were left with many great experiences and wins.
The girls varsity team had a strong 2025–26 winter season; varsity had a 15–5–1 overall record and a 4–0 record in region play, and they managed to rank 58th place in Arizona. Jocelyn Vite was recognized for making 100 goals throughout her high school soccer seasons, and she scored about two or three goals every game, which led the team to many victories.
Alondra Garcia, the goalie, was recognized by scouts after amazing performances every game, saving around three to four goals every match.
Lyla Rios Santiago, a varsity soccer player, has been playing soccer for 4 years now. Her favorite part about the soccer team was dressing up to match a certain theme for practice. Santiago’s family was a big influence in the way she performed; they pushed her to keep going when she felt like she couldn’t, especially her sister, who always wanted to see Santiago thrive. Santiago notes, “Always work hard and work on your weak leg.”
Junior Maleni Velasco, a JV soccer player, has been playing soccer for six years now. Velasco decided to join the team because it was a sport she grew up playing, and it is something she enjoys putting her time and effort into. She has been captain of the JV team for two years now, and she has really improved over the years. Her favorite part of playing soccer is being able to meet new people and playing for fun. Velasco mentions, “A core memory I have is the first goal I scored in high school—I scored the goal from the 18-yard line with about 10 minutes left in the game, which ultimately led to a win.” A big influence on her to be the best she can be is her sister and coach; they have both pushed her and guided her to reach her fullest potential, and they kept her motivated when she believed she wasn’t capable of pursuing. She is kind, hardworking, and motivated on and off the field. Advice and motivational quote from Velasco is to be there for one another on and off the field. Velasco states, “Trying your best is the best way to play your game.”
Freshman Danna Rios Santiago, a JV soccer player, has been playing soccer for almost 4 years now, and she decided to try out for soccer this year because she’s always had a passion for playing soccer. An achievement Santiago is very proud of is making a goal with the assist of her cousin, freshman Reyna Aguilera. Some advice from Santiago is, “To never look back at your mistakes, to look forward, we all have mistakes.”
Monaghan has been the head coach for over 30 years, and she loves IHS because it is a unique school; she also started two of Independence’s sports programs. Monaghan decided to become a coach here at IHS because she grew up playing sports and wanted to stay involved. Her favorite part of being here at IHS is the kids; she loves working with them, and she has a passion for coaching them. Monaghan originally was set out to be a P.E. teacher, but she changed her mind once she got to college and became an amazing coach here at IHS. Something she has learned over the years here at IHS is that all kids are different and need to be handled differently, and they all have different situations, so understanding the athlete will help them be able to perform at their best.
Some people that have become special to Monaghan are Nick Figueroa, and people she has had an influence on are Vianney Gomez, Kaiden Escarega, and many others. Figueroa was the head softball coach and art teacher who took Monaghan under his wing and helped her become who she is today. Monaghan is loving, stern, and has expectations, and she has been through many things growing up that molded her into the person she is today. Monaghan mentions, “Work hard for what you want. Nothing is handed to you. Fly high and get it done.—Go to college or trade school. Get a degree and become someone. Make money and live life.”
Last but not least, Coach Chris Millet, who has been coaching for nineteen years now, decided to coach because when she was a student-athlete, she always saw herself as a coach, but she really pursued coaching when her daughter turned four and had an interest in sports. Millet states, “I continue to coach because I enjoy teaching the students new skills and watching them grow over the season. I stayed at Independence because of the coaching staff and the student-athletes.” During Millet’s time here at IHS, she has become close with Coach Monaghan, who has had a huge influence on her. Brian Fitzgerald, who was athletic director when Millet first started coaching at Independence, had a big impact on her as well. He taught her discipline, core values and philosophies, and she learned safety protocols and effective communication.
Someone that is also special to Millet is Pepper Marshall during her time at Independence. She is very knowledgeable, supportive, and resilient. Marshall has helped Millet many times when she didn’t have the answer, and she has been patient with Millet during a transition period they had. Millet mentions, “Some advice I would give to my future players is to come with a positive attitude, focused and ready to learn/work. Give 100% because hard work beats talent. Take risks, embrace the mistakes and failures, and learn from them. Your only competition is yourself, so have confidence.”
