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LAKEWOOD, NJ –The alarm goes off at 6:30 a.m. By the time Hector De Los Santos-Nonoal makes his way to the game, he’s showered, eaten, reviewed film and walked the turf to gauge his footing – all before warm-ups even begin. To him, this sequence is not remarkable; it's simply what preparation requires.
“Everyone’s focused on one goal,” said De Los Santos-Nonoal, and 18-year-old college soccer player and finance major from Lakewood. “Putting fear in the opponent. Even if you’re on the bench, you’re ready.”
Hard work and sacrifice defined his upbringing. His parents immigrated from San Isidro Huilotepec, Mexico, and settled in Lakewood to build a life. With both parents working, Hector quickly became self-reliant.
This discipline was tested during his freshman year of high school. After training summer with the varsity squad, he was placed on junior varsity. Instead of questioning the coaches, he doubled down on his efforts, working through the offseason and taking every rep, he could fit in.
“I hated the feeling of being on the bench,” he said. “I used all the frustration as motivation, and it paid off.” By the following season, he was in the starting lineup and earned the “Best Defender” award.
That same determination now carries into his academic and professional life. Currently a finance major on track for the Dean’s List, his days are a relentless circuit: 8 a.m. class, team lifting sessions, self-directed study, and a four-hour work shift–followed by whatever schoolwork remains.
He discovered the Army the same way he finds everything–by showing up. During a senior year career fair, De Los Santos-Nonoal was approached by Staff Sergeant Quajadrin Johnigan an Army recruiter, who asked about his passion for soccer. The recruiter explained that he could continue playing college soccer while serving. Two meetings later, he was in.
Today, his finance studies and his construction role in the Army point toward a singular objective: launching his own business, built on the diverse skill sets earned in two different uniforms.
De Los Santos-Nonoal has a clear message for the young people in Lakewood still finding their path:“It doesn’t matter where you come from. If you work hard and push yourself, doors will open that you didn’t even know existed.”
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 04.30.2026 16:09 |
| Story ID: | 564007 |
| Location: | LAKEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Hometown: | LAKEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, US |
| Web Views: | 26 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, The Reps He Puts In, by SGT Katherine Devereaux, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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