Andrea Guiton

Serving up success in multiple sports

Rebecca Zenger • Staff Reporter

Andrea Guiton represented Highline all over the Northwest but rarely set foot on campus.

Guiton played on the Highline’s women’s soccer and tennis teams. She will be graduating this spring with an associate of arts degree from Highline. She plans on getting a degree in education to eventually become a P.E. teacher.

Going to a two-year school wasn’t on Guiton’s radar at first. The athlete from Auburn played soccer and tennis in high school but planned to drop the student-athlete title to go to a university. But the desire to play sports while pursuing an education led her to look further and ultimately choose Highline.

Guiton first committed to play women’s soccer at Highline. The opportunity to play tennis arose later through a mutual connection with her high school coach and the Highline tennis coach. Guiton immediately jumped on the opportunity to join the Thunderbird tennis program. 

As happened to many students in the months following the COVID outbreak, Guiton’s plans were disrupted.

In the fall of 2020, all classes went online and sports seasons were postponed. The NWAC chose to push back the start of all sports competitions to March 1, 2021. 

Being that soccer occurs in the fall and tennis in the spring, Guiton was double-booked.

“In my freshman year during COVID, I had to play soccer and tennis at the same exact time in the spring. That was hard balancing out both of the sports because I really enjoy playing both of them,” said Guiton.

Taking all of her classes online and not having to commute from her home in Auburn made it easier to manage her busy schedule, said Guiton.

“I’m a pretty organized person. Being able to get up in the morning and get my homework out of the way is something that I practically did every single day,” she said.

However, it was sad that she couldn’t meet new people on campus, said Guiton.

Coping with the COVID-abbreviated seasons, Guiton struggled to change her mindset on what’s normal, she said. 

“Being able to push through and having my peers and teammates helped. Knowing that I wasn’t the only one and that I wasn’t alone was very helpful. We were all tight knit in a sense that we didn’t want to let anyone down,” said Guiton.

Guiton’s coaches complimented her skills as a teammate. 

“Andrea has the unique ability to enter any group situation and make people feel wanted and important. She is kind and caring and exudes a quiet athletic confidence that rubs off on all those around her,” said Highline Head Tennis Coach Laura Rosa.

Having no soccer or tennis championships to work toward was a tough reality, Guiton said. 

Within the shortened season, women’s soccer placed second in the region with an overall record of 5-2-2. Women’s tennis went undefeated but only had four scheduled matches during the COVID season, which was a little disappointing, she said.

“It was hard, but I’m glad we made it through – I got my seasons this year so that’s all that matters right now, ” said Guiton.

After a short summer break, Andrea Guiton was back on the soccer field in the fall of 2021. 

Asked what position she played, Guiton smiled then let out a quick sigh. 

“Oh gosh, I played everywhere. I played midfield and forward, I’d put myself down as a forward,” she said. 

Highline women’s soccer clinched the West Region title and made it to the semifinals with a 9-2-1 record.

Guiton proved to be an impact player for Thunderbird soccer, ranking fifth in the league for game-winning goals last season.

“​She is a dedicated and hard working person. She’s very competitive, and wants to win no matter what the situation,” said Head Soccer Coach Thomas Moore

In her freshman and sophomore year, Guiton received NWAC First-Team All-League honors. Guiton was also named an All-Star pick and competed in the All-Star game with the top players in the NWAC.

“​She was competitive in everything she did. She always wants to be better. She had high standards and expectations of herself and those around her,” said Moore.

“​Andrea is motivated, self-driven, has leadership skills, is committed, a good teammate, and always wanting more,” said Moore.

This spring, Guiton took part in bringing home the Highline women’s tennis first-ever championship title. 

“Andrea is a true athlete and competitor, not a single sport specialist. She is thoughtful to strategy and at the same time knows exactly how far she can push her body to perform. She is easy to coach and always looking to improve both in technique and fitness,” said tennis coach Rosa.

Guiton was 8-1 at the No. 4 singles spot for the T-Birds and went undefeated in league play. 

“On the tennis court we all knew that if a match was winnable, Andrea would find a way to win. She was relentless in chasing down balls that others would give up on. Her matches were often long, which was a mistake by her opponents because she was always the more fit player on the court,” said Rosa.

Being a part of two championship caliber teams are two things she won’t take for granted because it’s hard to repeat, Guiton said.

“Those were pretty important to me so I’m glad I got to make some impact in both sports,” said Guiton.

“It’s what every athlete dreams of, being on a very successful championship team. It feels good to be on successful teams and I’m glad that I could experience that with all of my teammates,” she said.

Guiton is aiming to carry on a successful academic and soccer career in Carson, CA this fall.

Guiton has signed to play NCAA Division II soccer at California State University Dominguez Hills and pursue a bachelor’s degree in physical education.

The success that she has made at Highline is not without the help of her two sports coaches, said Guiton.

“I would like to thank my tennis coach and associate athletic director, Laura. She definitely has been a role model over the past two years. She’s been nothing but supportive and I could not be more thankful and grateful for that. Without her I would have struggled a lot. It would be different if she wasn’t here. I’m glad I got to create a bond with her that I’ll carry with me throughout my life,” Guiton said.

“Tom definitely pushed me to be the athlete I am today. He made me feel confident and pushed me to levels that I knew I could reach. Without him I couldn’t be the competitive athlete I am now,” Guiton said.

Knowing that she’s about to graduate with her associate’s degree is very exciting, Guiton said.

Getting a degree in physical education is something she would like to start as soon as possible. 

“I know how important it is to have teachers right now because there is a big shortage. I’m hoping to start teaching as soon as possible,” Guiton said.