Oswego East Student-Athlete of the Week-Celesmar Herrera

The worldwide pandemic over the last few years has caused a dramatic impact on the lives of almost everyone around the world. Some took refuge in new hobbies, school, or work. Senior Celesmar Herrera saw his freshman season cut short by the pandemic and decided to work and give up soccer for a couple of years. However, his passion for the sport never wavered, and his return this season has provided the Wolves with stability on the defensive side of the ball and a fierce competitor who never gives in, which is why he is this week's Oswego East student-athlete of the week.

Celesmar began his soccer journey at the age of 10. “I started playing because my dad had played soccer and got me interested in the sport,” says Celesmar. Celesmar played for five years for the Lyons FC team in Aurora and was one of their captains. As a freshman at OE, Celesmar was able to make the freshmen team. However, his first season was cut short by the pandemic, and Celesmar chose to work as much as possible and give up playing the sport competitively.

However, at the urging of his mother, Celesmar decided to try out for the team this season and has provided great play and leadership for the young Wolves. “As a freshman, Celesmar was one of the best players on the freshman team, with Coach Leal speaking so highly of him,” says head coach, Steve Szymanski. He goes on to say, “I subbed for his P.E. class last year and asked him if he would be trying out knowing he would be a huge help for us this season.”

The Wolves graduated 18 seniors last season and have 9 sophomores on the varsity roster, so Celesmar’s maturity and leadership were a welcome addition. “Celesmar, along with Drew Karg, has provided a great sense of comfort and stability on the defensive end of the field for us,” says Steve. He goes on to say, “Celesmar has stepped in this fall with his leadership, toughness, and most importantly his knowledge and understanding of the game. His teammates love having him on the team because he is a tough player and a great competitor who never quits.”

Celesmar’s mom, Adriana Torres, understands just how competitive her son is, saying, “Celesmar really like soccer, but he does not like to lose, which is why he is very tough in games.” That toughness comes from loyalty to his teammates, with Celesmar saying, “I do not like the feeling of letting my teammates down, so I am always going to go the extra mile to make sure I do not make the same mistakes.”

While Celesmar’s defensive position means Celesmar is not provided with opportunities to fill out the stat sheet with goals and assists, his play has been imperative to the Wolves' success. He was named to the all-tournament team at the Plainfield Classic last weekend and is a starter who plays just about every minute of each game.

The time away from soccer allowed Celesmar to gain real-world experience helping and working alongside his father and his drywalling business. That experience cemented Celesmar’s decision to follow in his father’s footsteps and eventually open his own drywalling business. Upon graduation, Celesmar plans to move to Texas, where his cousin owns his own drywall business and will mentor Celesmar to eventually open his own.

As a student, Celesmar is well-liked by his teachers for both his work ethic and his interactions with peers. Fati Lopez, Celesmar’s AP Spanish teacher his junior year, says, “I particularly enjoyed Clesemar’s great sense of humor.” She continues by saying, “Celesmar is very witty, respectful, and likes to help others. He shared his desire of working full-time after graduation. He is a very responsible and hard-working individual.”

Celesmar’s leadership and skills will be necessary if the Wolves are to bring home more hardware this year after capturing the regional championship last season. As a senior, Celesmar says he is astounded just how fast the four years went by and advises future Wolves to, “show up and get the job done, these four years fly by.” As a fierce competitor, Celesmar will continue to provide stability on the defensive end as the young Wolves look to improve heading into the postseason.