Coming Attraction: Mariel Gutierrez
September 24, 2015 | Soccer
Gutierrez Paving Way to Bulldog Success
By Kelly Williams
Mariel Gutierrez's left-footed missile is giving opponents a reason to be scared.
Eight games into the season, Gutierrez not only leads the Bulldogs in number of goals scored, but she has also been involved in over half of the team's goals thus far.
"Before the season, the coaches ask us what our goals are and what we want to achieve," Gutierrez said. "And I actually just wanted to score a goal. Last season I just played outside defense and I never scored, so it makes me feel really good. But I don't care if I'm leading or not, I just want our team to score. I don't care who."
Among her teammates, Gutierrez is considered one of the strongest leaders on the team. As a sophomore, she has demonstrated her ability to work hard under pressure and in difficult circumstances.
"I don't give up very easily," Gutierrez said. "So I think my role is fighting to the last minute even when I'm really tired. My teammates help me to keep going and to keep playing."
Although she comes from a different background than most of her teammates, Gutierrez's leadership is exemplified through her actions on and off the field.
Gutierrez, originally from Mexico City, Mexico, is faced everyday with the challenges of living in an English-speaking country. Whether she is on the soccer field or in the classroom, Gutierrez is still cultivating her knowledge of English.
"Language affects everything," Gutierrez said. "You know, soccer has its own language, so I wouldn't always understand what they were saying. And in classes, I had to read my books twice. It was so much time and lot of wasted time. But I think this year is better than last year, so I hope it will get better each year."
However, despite having to teach herself to adjust to small-town Athens life, to speak and understand English and to solve physics problems, there is one thing that Gutierrez has never had to teach herself and that is to love her teammates.
"My life is completely different," Gutierrez said. "I lived in a city and this isn't a city for me at all. I decided to come here because I love the weather and I love the team spirit. If you're going to be with people for four years, you want to be with nice people and that's why I decided to come here."
Though her teammates have remained a constant source of comfort for Gutierrez throughout her transition to living in the United States, Gutierrez has also found much encouragement from the Georgia coaching staff.
Gutierrez, who aspires to play in the Olympics or in a World Cup for the Mexican National team, sees tremendous potential for the Bulldogs as they move forward in the season.
"As a team we are shooting a lot," Gutierrez said. "But we aren't actually scoring. We just need to think about the goal and try to score."
Gutierrez and the rest of the Bulldogs take the field again this Friday at 7 p.m. at Turner Complex in their matchup against Arkansas. The Bulldogs also play on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET against Texas A&M.
Kelly Williams is a senior from Atlanta, Ga., majoring in public relations and also pursuing a sports media certificate within the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications. She is in her second year as a student assistant within the UGA Sports Communications office.
"Coming Attractions" is a weekly feature published on georgiadogs.com spotlighting a UGA student-athlete who will be competing in a key home event during the upcoming weekend. Previous stories from this year include:
August 27 - Jasmine Eaton (volleyball in the Benson Hospitality Invitational)
September 3 - Sydney Shultis (soccer vs. Clemson)
September 10 - Liliana Rios (soccer vs. South Carolina)
September 17 - Isaiah McKenzie (football vs. South Carolina)
