Barnes sisters looking to put New Mexico on the map

<!-- wp:image {"id":223031,"sizeSlug":"large","linkDestination":"none"} --> <figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2024/09/Isabella.jpg?w=824" alt="" class="wp-image-223031" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Photo: Milton Lau</figcaption></figure> <!-- /wp:image --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For Izzy and Amelia Barnes, it has always been soccer. The two got into the sport very young and as Amelia put it, she doesn't remember getting into it, because it was just always something she was into. And as Izzy put it, it quickly became a passion. It helps having a sibling that plays the same sport as well, as the that gives you a built in training partner, a workout buddy and someone to push you.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Playing with a sibling is fun, yet hard at the same time," Amelia said. "It is fun because I have someone to practice with who understands the game. It is hard because we are both very competitive and sometimes it creates tension on and off the field with my sister."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It seems there can be challenges to playing with a twin sister, but both Izzy and Amelia would say that the benefits outweigh those challenges by quite a lot. A challenge that is harder to overcome, however, is geography. They live in New Mexico, a state that does not get a lot of attention on the athletics front.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>"Playing soccer in New Mexico can be challenging because the sport doesn't get as much attention or have as many teams as other states," Izzy said. "This also means there are limited opportunities, making it tough to get noticed. However, things are changing. The expansion of the Girls Academy a few years ago has been a good addition for many players and also bringing more attention to the sport. I'm looking forward to seeing how the sport continues to grow in the future."</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ameila points out that the pool is smaller, which leads to fewer high-level players to compete against. The two of them have to travel outside of the state to get more opportunities to play at a high level and gain more exposure. Both play ECNL outside of the state, and play Girls Academy for the New Mexico Rapids, which is a positive development for soccer in New Mexico. Their club team even qualified for the GA playoffs, the first team in New Mexico to ever do so.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With Izzy and Amelia Barnes, you are going to get two very dedicated players. They play the game hard and with passion. Izzy, a 2008, is a versatile outside defender who can do many things on the pitch as she is very quick and very skilled on the ball. She is resilient and committed to the game. Amelia, a 2010, is a composed forward who plays on the outside. She is a cool finisher and shows very good technical abilities on top of being an intense competitor.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->