Pearland ISD captains stress leadership, balance on district podcast

On the Pearland ISD Building Blocks podcast, Superintendent (host) interviewed Dawson High School senior and captain Jordan Garza and Pearland High School senior and captain Giancarlo Anaya about leadership, the teams' midseason records, injuries and how players balance school, work and sport.

The conversation matters because captains said they act as on-field coaches, primary contacts for referees and peer mentors who help teammates stay academically eligible while maintaining competitive schedules. Their remarks illustrate how student leadership affects team culture and classroom outcomes, the guests said.

Jordan Garza, Dawson High School senior and captain, said Dawson began the season with a string of draws and early injuries but has won consecutive games as key players returned. "We have a couple of draws here and there. I mean, we have 1 loss... like 5 draws, 2 wins," Garza said, and later described a concussion and a pulled hamstring that sidelined two important attackers before the recent wins. Garza said Dawson tied Pearland 0-0 in their last meeting and expected a rematch in about two weeks.

Giancarlo Anaya, Pearland High School senior and captain, said the Oilers began the year stronger. "We started off pretty good. We are 4 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss," Anaya said, adding that midseason injuries had reduced the team's attacking effectiveness.

Both captains described captaincy as an extension of coaching during games. "Once you get the armband, it's like you feel like a different player," Garza said. He and Anaya said referees often restrict in-game conversations to captains and that teammates bring concerns to captains before approaching coaches. Anaya described a captain's in-game role as emotional management: "You have to...be the one that's really the most calm in the worst situations," he said.

Garza also described the logistics of being a student athlete who works. He said he works at HEB and relied on planning to avoid missed academic work: "If you do not pass, you don't play," he said, describing a family rule instilled by his father and grandfather that school performance determines athletic eligibility. Both players urged younger students to prioritize academics, maintain discipline and build a support system of coaches, friends and family.

On postsecondary plans, Garza said he hopes to continue playing soccer in college and is working with a recruiter but did not announce a commitment. Anaya said he plans to stop competitive soccer after high school and focus on academics with the goal of becoming a chemical engineer.

The episode concluded with both players encouraging peers to chase goals and persist through setbacks. The superintendent invited the community to attend the upcoming game at Pearland Stadium to see the teams compete.