Freestyler “Lizzy” Calderon talks about her journey on ‘Ganadoras’

In the latest episode of LATV’s Ganadoras, we had the honor of talking to freestyle soccer player Lisa “Lizzy” Calderon. Lisa showed us what it takes to be the best in freestyle and even taught Sofia, our host, some cool soccer tricks!

New Ganadoras Episode: Meet Freestyle Soccer Player Lisa Calderon

Lisa’s a central figure in Los Angeles’ growing freestyle scene. Originally from Southern California, this 28-year-old Latina is known for her positive attitude and her impressive array of tricks, standing out amongst the rest as one of its rising stars.

Born in Montclair, California to a Mexican family, Lisa goes by Lizzy to avoid being confused with another freestyler named Lisa Zimouche. Although she lives in Eastvale in Riverside County, she’s a regular at LA freestyle events, often seen alongside other notable freestylers like Caitlyn Schrepfer and the Echevarria brothers.

Lisa’s talent has taken her to compete in major tournaments worldwide, such as Super Ball and the Speen King of Freestyle. She’s collaborated with brands like Adidas and Crack FC and is part of the Urban Pitch athlete collective, alongside her longtime training partner Schrepfer.

Lisa’s journey into freestyle began after she got injured while playing soccer, a sport she’d been passionate about since the age of 5, during high school. With little guidance from doctors, she took a year off to recover, which was when she discovered freestyle at a soccer expo in LA and began practicing.

As she entered her senior year of high school, Lisa faced a crucial decision between pursuing college soccer or continuing with freestyle. Despite being offered a scholarship to play at Concordia University in Irvine, she followed her passion for freestyle instead, much to the surprise of her family. It wasn’t an easy decision, but she knew it was the right one for her.

During our interview, Lisa recalled that pivotal moment in her career, and shared some inspiring words: “There’s always going to be a door waiting to be opened. When I got injured I thought my whole world was crashing down. Just seeing all my teammates going to different colleges and I thought ‘Well, this is not going to be the route I’m gonna take’. And the door opened with freestyle and there I went discovering an entirely new passion or route that I never knew existed.”

“So keep an open mind. In the moment, it can be very emotionally tough to go through all that chaos internally, but just know that as long as you have a good support system, there’s always going to be another door waiting to be opened for you. And once it opens, just have the courage to take the first step and see the magic happen from there,” she added.

With her dedication and determination, Lisa Calderon has become a prominent figure in the freestyle world, inspiring others to follow their passions and never give up on their dreams. So don’t miss out on the latest episode of Ganadoras! Watch it now on LATV+!