Jayleen Casillas is the goalkeeper for the women’s soccer team and has been on the team for three years. She was drawn to joining PUC’s Pioneers team because of the diversity. “When taking a closer look, I noticed how family-oriented the team was, which helped me make my decision to attend PUC,” she shared. 

What values have you learned by being on the team? 

Having each other’s back in any situation is something I was fortunately able to experience here. That’s not something you can teach a team, so for it to be natural for all of us to support each other is great.

How do you balance your time between school and sports? 

Time management is very important when being a student-athlete, especially when trying to get a job, on top of being a student and an athlete. Keeping a written schedule of my days has helped me stay on track. 

How has attending PUC benefited your education and future career? 

Attending PUC has benefited my education and future career because I felt empowered to change my major to something I am very passionate about, which is mental health. I really enjoyed kinesiology, but I always had a thought in the back of my head about going into the mental health field. Transferring to PUC helped me make that decision. The social work department here has blessed me with many great opportunities for my future career and I am so grateful.

What is your favorite thing about being a Pioneer?

My favorite part about being a Pioneer is being able to experience a close community. From attending a university to a smaller school like PUC, I finally feel comfortable in an environment to be my true self. 

Can you share any advice for high school students interested in being a college athlete? 

The advice I would share is to stay on top of your schoolwork. School is a priority and athletics is a privilege. The better you stay on track with school, the less you have to worry about when it comes to focusing on your sport. Do not put your sport at risk.

Do you have a favorite athlete?

My favorite athlete would have to be Hope Solo. She was the goalkeeper for the women’s US national team. Since becoming a goalkeeper, I have always looked up to her as a player. She was very resilient and her demeanor on the field showed how passionate she was about her sport.

Outside of sports, what are other things you enjoy doing or are passionate about? 

I am very passionate about mental health. I plan on getting my masters in clinical social work at Loma Linda University to understand more about mental health in hopes of getting my license to become a therapist for adolescents. Other things I enjoy doing are painting, drawing, cooking, baking, and gardening.