Esteban Orozco, Hartford Athletic.  

Esteban Orozco was relaxing at home in early June when he received a call from Ross Pebols, one of the coaches of Hartford Athletic, an American professional soccer team based in Hartford, CT. For Esteban, this call represented more than an opportunity; it reflected his hard work and dedication throughout all his years playing soccer; this was his moment of a lifetime. 

Soccer started early for junior Esteban Orozco, who plays soccer for Morgan and now for Hartford Athletic. All these accomplishments didn’t arise out of luck, but from hard work and self-discipline.

At the age of four, Esteban began to play soccer when his mother, Yohana Ramirez, signed him up for his first official soccer experience at Ole Soccer in Fairfield, CT. 

“Esteban has shown an interest in soccer for as long as I can remember,” said his mother, Yohana. “I think he would’ve snuck a soccer ball into my womb if he could, but he was a big baby, so I’m glad he didn’t,” Yohana added.

Esteban’s father, Antonio Orozco, also remembers that his son would play soccer inside their apartment with a cloth ball as a little boy.

However, Esteban doesn’t remember falling in love with the sport until he was about 9-10 years old. He would find his love for the sport after being inspired by pro players and watching games of his favorite team, Manchester United, when he was young. “I would watch professional games all the time. I especially loved watching Ronaldo, and watching him play made me fall in love with the sport,” Esteban shared.

It didn’t always come easy for Esteban, though. “While Esteban was growing up, our little family moved several times for different reasons, unlike many of his peers who stayed in the same school district throughout their entire lives,” Yohana said. “However, this gave Esteban the gift of diversity, from playing with children whose parents would pay for all sorts of national and international programs regardless of their interest or ability, to playing with children who couldn’t afford a pair of cleats.” This diversity, Yohana believes, for Esteban would highlight one of his biggest strengths on and off the field, which Ramirez stated was adaptability.

This was highlighted when he arrived at the high school level, where he was met with his first challenge, starting for a 9-6-2 varsity squad at Morgan in 2023. He would struggle at first, not getting any goals in his first season, playing a lot at CDM (Central defensive-midfield). However, in his sophomore season, he ended the season with 16 goals and 9 assists, where he played more as a striker and sometimes as a CDM that season.

This change didn’t come from out of nowhere, said his father, Antonio, “His greatest strength is his discipline and perseverance to achieve his short-term and long-term goals, leading to such accomplishments in the future.” 

In June, the biggest moment of his life came. He was called up to Hartford Athletic, which was a huge surprise for Esteban. Pebols came up to Esteban during a tournament that he had for his former team, Southeast, and gave him the opportunity. The practices were temporary at first, getting to know Esteban for his playing style and if he fit in well with the team, and he was able to guarantee his spot. “I was shocked, and I knew quickly that I had to find my place in the team and that I was not going to be a big piece at all,” Esteban shared. 

“Esteban was totally ecstatic when he got called up to Hartford Athletic,” remembered his mother, Yohana. “I remember I was away on a trip with some family members, but I could feel the enthusiasm in his voice.”

Although he had a lot of confidence throughout his career, once Esteban arrived, everything seemed to change. Suddenly, Esteban found himself on a team with players from towns throughout Connecticut, towns such as Hartford, Bridgeport, etc. Players who were 18 years old and players who were much older than him, some being as old as 36. “For the first time in a while, I was scared to play. I underperformed for a little while, but the more friends I made, the better I played. It’s very difficult when you play with people much older and who are in different stages of their lives,” said Esteban.

Esteban began to ask questions and try to learn more from the other players on the team, who had much more experience than himself. He then began to put in as much effort as possible, just as he had freshman year. 

He learned that at that level, where everyone is so talented, what separates them from each other is the amount of effort and dedication they put into the sport. “The players who tried the hardest and put in effort to play a team game were the ones who played more. Talent got everyone so far already, but effort helped some of us stand out more than others,” Esteban shared. 

After high school, Esteban doesn’t want to give up on soccer, as he wants to continue the journey and pursue the career he has been working towards his entire life, not wanting to let any of those amazing experiences go. “The plan after the high school level is to try to play at a high-level college, as I would love the opportunity to pursue my dream and journey of soccer,” Esteban shared.

Additionally, he has the support of his parents. Yohana sees him pursuing a career in soccer after high school, due to his love of the game of soccer, which is a constant discipline in Esteban’s life.