For many soccer players, the phrase “fútbol is life” isn’t just a catchy line from a television show, it’s a way of living. That sentiment rings especially true for Williston junior Yandel Mujica, who has been chasing a soccer ball for as long as he can remember.
“I just love the sport. I grew up with it, and it’s awesome to show up every day and just play with my friends,” Mujica said. “To celebrate with teammates and know everyone is working toward a common goal of winning is so much fun.”
Mujica has grown up alongside many of his Red Devils teammates, moving to Williston at age 7 and developing on the field with the same core group of players. He believes that familiarity and chemistry have been key factors in Williston’s strong season, which included a second-place district finish and a trip to regional play.
“We are all just so close and have really great chemistry with each other,” Mujica said. “It makes a difference being comfortable on the field with these guys. We know what to do with the ball and how to communicate the right ways to be successful.”
The season didn’t begin smoothly for Williston, which dropped its opener in early November. After a couple of early ties, however, the Red Devils gained confidence and went on a 15-match unbeaten streak.
“That first loss really set the tone for the year,” Mujica said. “It showed us that we needed to work harder and be better teammates, and we just took that and ran with it. It was fun to watch us start to put things together.”
Mujica also had to overcome personal adversity. He sprained his ankle in the first game of the new year and needed about a month to feel fully healthy again. He credited athletic trainer Andy Klock for helping him return to form.
“Andy was so supportive,” Mujica said. “He’s got a lot of other sports he’s helping and people all over the school, but he was always there when I needed him — taping my ankle, telling me how to get it stronger. It’s awesome to have someone out there who cares so much about us.”
His ankle looked fully recovered once district play began. Mujica scored a career-high three goals in a win over Trinity Catholic, the most he has ever scored in a match at any level. The performance helped him earn UF Health Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Athlete of the Week honors.
“It was surreal,” Mujica said. “It felt really good to score that many goals and help the team get the postseason started right. It took me some time to get my confidence back, but I was relieved and ready to finish the season strong.”
Williston outscored opponents 70-26 this season, with its final two losses coming by just one goal each, including the regional final. Despite the disappointment, Mujica hopes the loss will fuel the team’s postseason push, just as the season-opening loss did.
“We expected it to be close, and of course it’s disappointing we didn’t win that game against PK,” Mujica said. “But we’ve got a bunch of seniors who aren’t ready for their high school career to end, and we’re going to continue to fight every game the rest of the way.”
Mujica will return for one more season of high school soccer and hopes to continue his playing career at the collegiate level.
Each weekly UF Health Athlete of the Week winner is eligible for the UF Health High School Athlete of the Year Scholarship, a $2,500 award presented at the end of the 2025–26 academic year.