Sisters Isabel and Sofia Peters commit to the University of Texas San Antonio to continue their academic and athletic careers on the Division 1 Women’s Soccer team. Playing together since they were children, the two sisters are excited to share this next step with each other. “I’m really excited to get to play with Sofia [again this year],” Isabel said. “We’re really close and we’re kind of best friends. [Playing soccer together] has bonded us a lot. I always knew that I wanted to play college soccer but I didn’t know I would end up playing with Sofia, so I’m super excited [that] I get to play with [her] in college.” Photo courtesy of Isabel Peters

Anticipation sweeps the household for the second time as they wait for news on her first college offer. Finally, the University of Texas San Antonio reaches out, providing a spot on the Division 1 girls soccer team alongside her older sister. Immediate joy overcomes the family as she decides to join her sister for the long haul. Stepping up to the next level together, both sisters are welcomed with open arms to the Roadrunner family.

Sisters and University of Texas San Antonio, or UTSA, girls soccer commits senior Isabel Peters and junior Sofia Peters enter this year’s varsity girls soccer season with determination to make their last season playing together a great one. Both sisters are listed as top Austin-Area girls soccer players to watch this season by the Austin American-Statesman, demonstrating the excellence they have displayed on the field thus far in the pre-season.

“I’m really excited to get to play with Sofia [again this year],” Isabel said. “We’re really close and we’re kind of best friends. [Playing soccer together] has bonded us a lot. I always knew that I wanted to play college soccer but I didn’t know I would end up playing with Sofia, so I’m super excited [that] I get to play with [her] in college.”

Both sisters have been playing soccer together since they were five years old. At the start of middle school, the sisters stopped playing with each other temporarily due to COVID-19 as well as because they were playing for separate club teams. Getting to play on the same high school team was a way for them to get back into playing together again.

“Playing with [Isabel] in high school has been really fun [since] we don’t get to play together in club [soccer],” Sofia said. “It’s been a great experience for us and I’m happy we got to be a part of the same team [again].”

The recruitment process for Sofia was extremely short in comparison to Isabel’s, with only one offer rolling in before she made a verbal commitment. Whether it was due to the fact that UTSA’s environment was welcoming or that her sister had also already verbally committed, Sofia has no regrets in her choice to end her recruitment process quickly.

“UTSA was my first offer and I took my first offer,” Sofia said. “I was going to go on other visits but then I went to UTSA and just loved everything about it. I’m super excited [to play in college with Isabel], we always talk about it at home and how we’re going to be living together. We’re both super excited.”

There is little room for doubt in the Peters’ family, with both Isabel and Sofia already knowing that they wanted to play soccer at the collegiate level. While playing a sport on a division one team may seem challenging and nerve-racking, the two sisters know that they will have the skills and abilities to compete at an advanced level.

“I’ve always thought that I had a shot to play soccer in college,” Isabel said. “Ever since I got moved to the top team at my club, that was the expectation, to play college soccer, so I felt really excited after committing to UTSA, like ‘Wow I finally did it’. I’m really nervous because it’s hard seeing all those [college] girls now. They’re so much ahead of me and it makes me nervous, but I know I’ll be ready when I get there [myself].”

On top of playing soccer, both of the sisters are dual-sport athletes, Isabel playing for the varsity girls basketball team, and Sofia for the varsity girls volleyball team. The determination and competitive mindsets these sisters have are what keep them going every day. The toll that playing two sports has on your body and mind is extreme, but the Peterses are accustomed to the rigor and strive through every practice no matter how difficult.

“I’ve learned that time management is really important,” Isabel said. “With playing both basketball and soccer, it’s hard to manage my time and take care of my body. I go to every practice and game that I can and work with my coaches [to figure out what’s best for me].”

Tournaments and games during school also make for a demanding schedule, having to find time for homework and studying as well as making up missed exams. However, the sisters don’t mind the struggles that being a multi-sport student athlete poses, because the pay-off is that they get to play the sports that they love.

“Some times are more difficult than others,” Sofia said. “Missing school during tests [and instruction] can make things difficult, but I know it’s all worth it because I have so much fun playing volleyball and soccer.”

For those looking to pursue college sports, the Peters sisters advise against procrastinating and encourage student athletes to start the recruitment process as early as possible.

“Always make the extra effort to [reach out to] coaches,” Isabel said. “Take your recruiting seriously [and] make highlight videos to send to coaches because they’re not going to know who you are until you reach out to them. Recruiting was really stressful for me and I was worried that I wouldn’t find a place to play, [so] getting the process started early is really important.”