LANGLEY — Claudia Gil-Osorio lives in the fast lane.
She’s the fastest South Whidbey High School girl ever to run a 100-meter race. With a schedule full of school, sports and charity work, her speed comes in handy while running from one commitment to the next.
Her roadrunner-type legs are two of the reasons the South Whidbey soccer team is 20-0 heading into today’s Class 2A state semifinal game against Eatonville.
"Most people, when they see her, remark about her speed," said South Whidbey coach Paul Arand, whose team will play at 10 a.m. today at Harry Lang Stadium in Lakewood. "But, she has a complete game."
Arand could be speaking about her soccer abilities and her life.
Gil-Osorio’s list of activities runs deep. She’s an excellent student. She has scored 31 goals this season. She set the school’s 100-meter record in a preliminary heat at the state meet in the spring (12.64 seconds) and finished second in the state final. She juggles playing select soccer in addition to her commitment to the Falcons.
Gil-Osorio raised money to help fight muscular sclerosis, coached youth soccer and has been involved in the Big Sister program. She speaks fluent Spanish. She’s fought off the injuries that have taken away much of her high school soccer career to lead one dream season.
"And, she’s a nice as you can get," said Falcons center midfielder Katie Watson, who has 12 goals and 11 assists this season. "She’s sweet. Claudia’s per… I mean, she’s not a perfect person, but she’s as close as you can get and a good friend to everyone."
All of her activities, Gil-Osorio admits, may have put her in the fast lane a little too long.
When half the team came down with the flu in late October, it hit her especially hard. She spent six days in Overlake Hospital and was released just in time to lead the Falcons to a state playoff berth by scoring two goals Nov. 4 against Blaine.
She had put her mind and body through more than anyone should. The flu showed her, emphatically, that she needed a break.
"They just wanted to keep an eye on me," she said with a chuckle. "Basically, I needed to rest, and the doctor thought that was the only way they could stop me."
Few have been able to slow her down, especially on the soccer field.
She learned the game from her father, Dario Gil-Osorio, a soft-spoken Colombia native who lived and breathed soccer growing up. As far back as Claudia can remember, her father would take her to the park and the two would boot a ball around. Though she did not play competitive soccer until the family moved to Clinton from Santa Cruz, Calif., in 1998, the game has always been a part of her life.
"She is amazing," Dario Gil-Osorio said. "She’s a good daughter, and also a good player — everything. I have to be proud of every aspect."
He can be seen at every South Whidbey soccer game, occasionally offering his daughter advice. One time, Claudia recalled, his suggestion on where she should position herself on the field led to a quick goal.
"All the parents say he’s my good-luck charm," she said. "He just knows the game so well."
Dario Gil-Osorio admits he’s a bit nervous when he watches his daughter. The game is more physical than he would like, and he can’t help but fear that his daughter will suffer another setback.
Track, not soccer, was what began her injury problems. She damaged a hip while running the hurdles in middle school. She played some varsity soccer as a freshman and scored the only goal in South Whidbey’s 1-0 victory over Klahowya in the 2000 state third-place game. She ran cross country in the fall of 2001, and an injury took her out of all but the first game of last year’s district playoff season.
This year, she healthy — and faster — than ever. The Falcons, a good team without her, are 20-0 for the first time in school history with her.
"She is always giving 100 percent," said Watson, a sophomore. "She knows the game really well and she plays with her heart."
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