Luna Martinez selected to play in the Soccer Youth All-American Series

CAPTION: When Luna Martinez is on the field, she catches the eyes of everyone watching. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

When James Turner decided to start Hill Country FC, all he wanted was give elementary-aged Marble Falls Independent School District girls who were serious about soccer more opportunities to improve.

What he got instead was much more.

His player, Luna Martinez, was selected for the 2025 Soccer Youth All-American Series. The organization selects players from across the United States to play on teams that will play in tournaments throughout the country. At the end of each event, organizers will select Top Players, who can participate in the All-American Golden Cup at the end of the year in Naples., Fla. and Round Rock.

Turner, who was a basketball coach at age 14 and began coaching soccer six years ago, had to submit videos of Martinez, a fifth-grader at Marble Falls Elementary School, as part of the application.

“I’m not being biased,” he said. “She is a stud. She will be the face of women’s soccer. The kid is turning 11, but she is playing 12, 13, 14 year olds. I’ve coached probably over 300 kids, and I’ve never seen greater talent, not to take anything away from them.”

He started coaching Martinez a few months earlier. And when Hill Country FC played in tournaments, fans on each side of the field saw her talent. In a tournament game in Kerrville, Hill Country FC played to a 0-0 tie in the first half. But in the second half, she took three shots. In the next game, Hill Country FC played an opponent that featured eighth- and ninth-graders.

“Physically, she is stronger than the girls she plays with,” the coach said. “The way she runs is faster – that’s agility. She focuses on the agility part. She can run fast. This is what really separates her. She’s also very light on her feet. It looks like she runs on air.”

When Hill Country FC Faced Lone Star Black and Red, which are ranked in the top 20, Martinez stood out.

“She’s the most dominant,” Turner said. “When she plays, everyone talks about her. Humble is a key word around her. She has the mentality of a high schooler. She understands angles; her intelligence level is off the charts. I encourage her to focus on what her goals are and to achieve them.”

Martinez began playing the sport two-and-a-half years ago thanks to her dad, Emilio Martinez.

“I became obsessed with it,” she said. “He showed me so many tricks, he showed me how to play. He and my mom (Anna Rodriguez) put me in city league.”

That’s how the family met Turner. Martinez knew immediately playing for Hill Country FC was the right decision.

“As soon as I met him and as soon as we started drills,” she said. “He was different.”

The youngester, who models her game after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, plays left wing and striker and prefers center midfielder.

She recalled the way she, her mother and sisters Emily and Shelly reacted to her selection to Soccer Youth All-American Series.

“We were really happy,” she said. “We were all crying.”

She practices several times a week to perfect her game.

“It’s really exciting to score a goal,” she said. “It’s fun to score on the other team, too.”

Martinez’s first tournament for All-American Soccer is in early June in Orlando, Fla.