As Isaiah Morales enters his senior season at Wichita South High School, he is focused on more than his own performance. He wants to help build a culture that future South soccer players can carry forward.
Morales said he is excited about his final season and the opportunity to help shape the program.
“I’m excited for, of course, my senior year and for the environment we are creating for future players to come into,” Morales said. “I also want to help pass down the passion and pride we have for South soccer.”
Morales has spent the offseason preparing for his final high school season by working out, attending tournaments and training two to three times a week. Injuries have also been part of his offseason, making his focus on getting healthy just as important as his preparation on the field.
“I’ve been working out, going to tournaments, and training around 2–3 times a week,” Morales said. “I’ve been dealing with some injuries, so I’ve been focused on getting healthy and preparing myself for the upcoming season.”
One area Morales has targeted for improvement is his long-range shooting. He has spent the summer working on his accuracy from distance and hopes that work will translate into more goals during the season.
“One thing I’m really wanting to work on is my accuracy from long range,” Morales said. “I’ve been working on it throughout the summer, and I’m excited to show the improvement I’ve made this season.”
Morales enters the season looking to build on a productive junior campaign. He scored seven or eight goals and recorded two assists last season, including two goals from penalty kicks. He played approximately 700 of South’s 960 minutes.
Now, Morales has set ambitious goals for his final season. As a team, he wants South to reach the regional tournament, something he believes would represent a significant accomplishment for the program.
“One of my goals for the team is to make it to regionals,” Morales said. “With South’s record over the past few decades, I feel like making it to regionals would be a huge accomplishment for the team and the school.”
Individually, Morales is aiming for more than 20 goals while hoping to leave a lasting mark on the South soccer program.
“A personal goal of mine is to score more than 20 goals this season and make South soccer remember me and what my year has done,” Morales said.
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