After 80 grueling minutes, their legs were tired, bodies were aching, and nearly all their energy was gone. The Idaho Vandals were 10 minutes away from a Big Sky championship. The dream was just 10 minutes away. The game and the season had come down to this moment, and the Vandal’s backline had prepared for the most stressful 10 minutes of their careers.
As the clock struck the 90th minute and the ref blew the final whistle, a wave of relief and joy engulfed the team, especially center-back Rebekah Reyes, who had helped her team claim their first ever Big Sky championship.
“My emotions were all over the place. I remember when that final whistle blew, I was so excited and so happy for the team,” Reyes said. “I was so proud of all the hard work, all of the early mornings, the strength and conditioning sessions, recognizing that we finally did it.”
Reyes, who was the best player on the field all tournament, was not only rewarded with the Big Sky tournament championship; she was also rewarded as the Big Sky tournament MVP, a moment that left her shocked.
“When I received the award for MVP, I was shocked and did not accept it at all,” Reyes said. “It gave me a little reassurance that I am meant to be here, and I produce and can play soccer. Sometimes, I get in my head a lot, and I’m very hard on myself. Having that recognition made it all worth it.”
Reyes had reached the mountain top but started the hike when she first picked up a soccer ball. Reyes, who hails from Chandler, Arizona, was always an energetic kid, so her mom wanted to put her in a sport to relieve some of her energy. Reyes participated in gymnastics and soccer before choosing soccer.
Reyes’s soccer journey was not conventional in the slightest. She began her high school career at Hamilton High School, playing her freshman year for Hamilton; however, after her freshman year, she decided to make a change.
Reyes decided to play for the developmental academy Royals FC Arizona, where she competed with clubs all over the United States. Reyes played three years with them before committing to the University of Idaho.
“I played for the DA, and I went to a few showcases, and Jeremy had kind of reached out via email; I came out in February of 2020, and I liked the vibe of Moscow,” Reyes said. It was smaller than where I grew up, and there are seasons here versus where I grew up. I liked the team and the coaching staff then, so I committed here.”
Ever since Reyes stepped onto campus in Moscow, she has been a force on the back line. After limited playing time her freshman year, she became the starting center back with fellow center back Cassidy Elicker their sophomore year.
Reyes showed out in her first full year as a starter, playing in 18 games, logged 1,493 minutes, and helping the Vandals get an impressive 13 clean sheets.
Reyes followed that up with an outstanding junior season, starting in all 19 games logging 1,689 minutes, and was a part of seven clean sheets., one of those in the Big Sky semi-final against Portland State in her first game without Elicker due to injury since they became starting center backs.
Reyes admitted she was nervous to play without Elicker, but in the end, it elevated her game to another level.
“I was nervous for those games,” Reyes said. “Feeling that pressure made me dial in on the little details and say, hey, I don’t have Cass to help bail me out. I got to play.”
Reyes played outstanding without Elicker. Her leadership, physicality, and one-on-one defending were huge parts of the Vandals’ claiming their first Big Sky championship. She also shined some light on a position that doesn’t get enough credit.
In her senior season so far, Reyes has played in all 15 games, logging 1,298 minutes and helping lead the Vandals to five clean sheets and an 8-4-2 record.
Away from the soccer field, Reyes has a passion for school. She completed her undergraduate degree in criminology and is currently working on her graduate degree. Reyes is involved in some huge academic projects, such as co-authoring a chapter for a book and the inside-out prisoner exchange program.
Away from soccer and school, Reyes enjoys hanging out with her teammates.
“My teammates are some of my closest friends off the field, so we’ll do little things like watching the sunset or a show together,” Reyes said.
Center back is a nervy position. With all the pressure on you to conduct the back line, get them positioned, and not make a mistake, it can be a lot for a player. Reyes has some pre-game rituals she does to calm her nerves and get her in the zone.
“Before every game, I have a honey stick,” Reyes said. “I always have at least some sort of honey and fruit snacks. I tend to eat a little bit before games to just calm my nerves down.”
You can reach Jayden Barfuss at [email protected]