Student-Athlete of the Week Ismael Dominguez

Senior forward Ismael Dominguez didn't earn the nickname "Big Game Ish" by accident. His penchant for being in the right place at the right time has turned the tide for Niwot more than once, most recently in the final minute of the Class 4A state soccer quarterfinals against Regis Groff on April 24. With the seconds ticking away and the score tied 1-1, Dominguez remembered some timeless advice from his father, turning what came next into an "amazing experience" for the third-year varsity attacker.

"I just took advantage of the defender's mistake, and I just put it behind him and into the net," Dominguez said of the dramatic goal, his ninth of the season. "And then, I just saw the fans going crazy, and our bench going crazy. ... I could have chosen not to pressure the defender, since it looked like they were going to get possession. I could have chosen just to lay back, but my dad always tells me to just keep going and keep running him down, and that's what I did."

Dominguez has played forward his entire career, and joined the Niwot varsity as a sophomore. He finally broke out of his scoring shell in 2021, with nine goals in 12 games, far surpassing his combined total of six during his sophomore and junior seasons. He considers himself a physical player, but also prides himself on his ability to adjust his movements and see scoring opportunities as they develop, as he did on the game-winner in the quarterfinals.

"You definitely have to understand how the defenders want to play- if they want to switch the ball or if they want to play in the back. You just have to analyze that and base your movement off of that. Because if you're pressing a lot, and they're just playing around you, you get tired really quickly. But I think it's also kind of nice when they're a little disorganized. Because on the attack, they just leave all these gaps, and you just have to know where to move and teammates will find you."

Dominguez's final season with the Cougars hasn't unfolded in quite the way he once envisioned, but after the challenges of the last 13 months, it's been even more rewarding to see his team's hard work pay off in the form of a 9-1 regular season record, a 2021 Longs Peak league championship, and a trip to the Class 4A state semifinals, their deepest playoff run since 2017.

"This season, in particular, just because of the whole pandemic, everybody knew that it was going to be way harder than previous years to put in all that work, and stay motivated. And I think what I like about this team in particular is everyone is connected. Everybody wants to win, and everyone's on the same page. And it's just nice to have that community and that same mentality throughout the team."

In the classroom at Niwot, Dominguez is in the final weeks of Niwot's IB program, and counts IB physics and IB psychology among his favorites. He also recently wrapped up his Creativity, Activity, and Service (CAS) project, another requirement to receive an IB diploma. Initially, he planned to conduct free soccer camps for local elementary students, helping them to learn the basics of soccer with drills and games. But with pandemic regulations in place, he eventually had to pivot to web and video tutorials, which he distributed to local elementary PE programs earlier this year.

Dominguez also volunteers at Our Center and is active with his church. During his free time, he enjoys skateboarding and is "constantly" listening to music, and even making it on occasion.

"I'll really listen to any type of music," he said. "The only genre I don't really like is country. It just bores me. But other than that, I'm open for all types of music."

Next year, Dominguez plans to enroll in CU-Boulder's College of Engineering where he will study computer science, and hopes to go on to a career in software development or something where he can "make and create with technology." He is also hoping to join the CU men's club soccer team or continue playing in intramural leagues.