The Comeback Kid: Alex Barrera
By Sayra Ilyas
The following article was featured in the December 2019 edition of The Campus.
Alex Barrera’s passion for soccer took offwhen she was only five years old. Her career jump-started when she began toplay for multiple soccer teams and her family’s love for the sport helped fuelher passion.
As an alumnus of Archbishop Molly High School,Barrera’s competitive nature led her to participate in both the school’s soccerand lacrosse teams. After graduating high school, Barrera decided that she didnot want to end her sports career just yet, so she joined the women’s soccerteam her freshman year at The City College of New York (CCNY), determined tocontinue to competitively play her beloved sport at the collegiate level.
Currently, Barrera is in her junior year atCCNY pursuing a major in biology and a minor in psychology, while simultaneouslyfinishing off the last of her prerequisites for medical
school. She has her heart set on a career insports medicine, either as an orthopedic
physician or physical therapist. In additionto balancing the heavy course load required by her major, Barrera has alsosecured a coveted research position in association with Mount Sinai Hospital.
Barrera’s ability to manage her schoolwork,research, and part-time job, while continuing to excel as one of the topplayers on CCNY’s women’s soccer team, makes it easy to understand why herfavorite soccer player is Sydney Leroux, a forward for the National
Women’s Soccer League. When asked to elaborateon why Leroux is her favorite player, Barrera said, “She is a fantastic playerand is a great example of a woman that can balance being a professional soccerplayer and have two kids. She’s worked hard her whole life and continues toface obstacles on and off the field that she overcomes.”
After a brief hiatus from playing on the teamduring her sophomore year, Barrera
realized she missed the sport and being out onthe field too much to stop playing altogether. Soccer was an outlet thatallowed her to take a breather from the demanding college courses andextracurriculars to simply enjoy her time with her teammates.
This past season, Barrera returned to socceras a junior, and the team made it all the way to the CUNY Championship Finalsagainst John Jay. As one who does not stop working, she managed to squeeze insome practice with her surgical sutures on a porcine cadaver just hours beforethe big game. When asked how she manages to juggle all her responsibilities,she replied, “At times it can be challenging, but it’s all about timemanagement and eating healthy and maintaining a nutritious lifestyle.”
As the season ends, Barrera has decided thatthis year might be her last on the CCNY women’s soccer team. Despite coming along way in learning how to manage her school, work, and social life, she wantsto make sure she has the time to work hard and get accepted into physicaltherapy or medical school. Though her collegiate level soccer career might havecome to an end, her love for the sport is unending and she wishes the best forher teammates during next year’s season.
