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Last year, the high-level soccer club previously known as Pima County Surf had four seniors sign with colleges.

Family, friends and coaches gathered around at The Physio Shop on North Oracle Road last Friday for a signing event to celebrate these athletes continuing their athletic careers.

There was laughter, smiles and a few tears as the athletes and their coaches talked about their journey with Arizona Surf and what this moment meant to them.

For Arizona Surf president Sarah Gaxiola, the event is her “absolute favorite night of the whole season,â€� she told the ÃÛÌÒÓ°ÏñAV.

“It’s a reflection of our mission and just celebrating these ladies who have worked so hard, on and off the pitch. They dedicated themselves to this moment,� Gaxiola said.

This year’s signees come from high schools across Southern Arizona, including Catalina Foothills, Cienega, Mountain View Marana, Tucson and Casa Grande.

Catalina Foothills’ Molly Murry signed with the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, a Division III school in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Casa Grande’s Alexa Ryle signed with Justice University in Chandler.

Cienega’s Maddyson Kirk signed with Pima Community College.

Cienega’s Kylie Krebs signed with Chaminade University of Honolulu, a Division II school in Hawaii.

Mountain View Marana’s Taylor Clairmont signed with Simmons University, a Division III school in Boston.

Tucson High’s Mari Jimenez, who was absent from the signing event, is set to play for Adams State University, a Division II school in Alamosa, Colorado.

Krebs, who plays for head coach Tony Torres at Cienega and Arizona Surf, said signing to Chaminade University was a dream of hers after former teammates attended the school.

“(Arizona Surf) taught me discipline and that good things come from our work,� she said.

Clairmont has played with Arizona Surf for the last couple of years and says the program has helped her grow as a player and a person.

“It (Arizona Surf) means everything to me,� she said of Arizona Surf. “There’s not even a single word to describe what it means to me. It’s made me love soccer more than I ever thought I could, because I started playing when I was 6 years old and I didn’t think I’d keep playing to this point. But, because of this club and this atmosphere, I’m gonna continue after high school, which is just amazing.�

Arizona Surf is a part of the national Surf organization, a program that has contributed to numerous players playing for the U.S. national teams. 

Currently, Arizona Surf has around 250 girl players (500 total) in the Tucson area, according to Gaxiola. Since its inception, the program has expanded beyond Tucson and now includes Phoenix, too.

“Our mission is to provide the best experience and opportunities for our players,� Gaxiola said. “And so we want to reflect that in everything we do. We’re going to instill our mission in our players and everything that we do, from our events that we put on to our training, our coaching culture and everything (else). We just want to be the best at it.�