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Standing 5-foot-7 and weighing 135 pounds, 17-year-old Hollister High School and Hollister Tremors goalkeeper Juan Luna traveled to Ellicott City, Maryland, to compete in the 6th annual National Keeper Wars from July 30 to Aug. 4.
After putting his skills to the test between the three bars and winning the Regional Keeper Wars Championship in Santa Cruz in November 2025, Luna said he has been preparing for the tournament by putting in more than two hours daily at the Hollister Tremors fields.
“Juan is the kind of player every coach hopes to work with,” Hollister High School soccer coach Richard Padilla said. “His work ethic is unmatched, and his ability to read the field is years beyond his age. He brings maturity, humility and a competitive fire that lifts everyone around him. Whether in training or in high-pressure moments, Juan shows up with focus, resilience and a genuine desire to grow.”
Luna said he is inspired by Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and studies his playing style to incorporate it into his own.
“My biggest influence is probably my dad,” Luna said. “He introduced me to the sport and he would always come and train me.”
Tremors coach Tanya Talavera said Luna has never missed a game in the three years she has coached the team.
“If there was a game he was going to miss, he let us know at the beginning of the season so we could reschedule the game, because it is very hard to find a goalkeeper, especially one with his ability,” Talavera said.
She said Luna has become more confident over the years, developed into a more vocal leader on the team and become one of its impact players.
Talavera described Luna as a positive teammate who communicates well on the field.
“He lets everybody know where they need to be moving, but he does it in a good way where they know he’s guiding them and not criticizing,” Talavera said.
Talavera referred to Luna as the team’s very own Spider-Man because of his ability to fly through the air and make saves. Although he is not a physically imposing goalkeeper, given his smaller size compared to traditional goalkeepers, Talavera said Luna’s confidence is his intimidation factor.
“He just has an innate talent. He can read where the ball is going to go,” she said. “He makes a decision, and he follows through with that, and that is what makes him one of the strongest goalkeepers I’ve seen.”
Luna has been a goalkeeper for the Tremors for about nine years.
“He has stayed committed to the Tremors, and he did it because of the relationships and friendships that he built,” Talavera said.
To help pay for travel and lodging, Luna held three restaurant fundraisers at Mountain Mike’s Pizza as well as a goalkeeper clinic.
The clinic drew 14 participants from ages eight to 14. Luna said participants worked on goalkeeping fundamentals such as diving and passing the ball.
“It was amazing,” Luna said. “It was fun to see the little kids playing around, and it was a good feeling to be the one teaching them.”
Hollister High School soccer coach Richard Padilla has been instrumental in Luna’s soccer career and helped him start the goalkeeper clinic.
While Luna’s parents cannot make the trip to Maryland, Talavera, along with her husband and two children, will travel with him.
“I imagine winning the tournament, and it means a lot to me, especially to my family, who are always supporting me,” Luna said. “I am trying to take all that support and have it on my mind when I am in Maryland so I remember who I am doing it for—my family.”
Luna says he is thankful for his parents, Yanneth Luna and Juan Luna, Tia Sara, Madrina Araceli, friends and coaches for their support throughout his playing career.
Luna will provide updates on his tournament performance on Instagram at @Jluna831.
The BenitoLink Internship Program is a paid, skill-building program that prepares local youth for a professional career. This program is supported by Monterey Peninsula Foundation AT&T Golf Tour and Taylor Farms.
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