Bel Air soccer team talks about shaving heads in solidarity with teammate’s mother who has cancer

These days it seems as though everyone has their dreaded story with the terrible “C” word of cancer.

Alexis Arellano who is a member of the Bel Air varsity soccer team, is living his as his mother Sonya is battling cancer. What started out as three close friends and teammates showing support for their friend’s mother has become a viral effect on the Bel Air campus.

“Monday at 5 in the evening I told the players that if they were going to shave their heads in the locker room, then everyone on the team needs to shave their heads,” Highlanders soccer coach Sergio Delgado said. “Someone brought buzz clippers to the locker room, and one by one everyone’s hair was shaved off.”

Jose Luis Barraza, Louis Herrera, and Alexis Arellano are more than just teammates. They are best friends, and wanted to show their support for Arellano’s mother.

When the three came to school Monday with shaved heads Alexis explained why they had shaved their heads. Not only did both the JV, and Varsity teams participate in the hair removal activity but so did the freshman team.

“I lost my mother in February,” Delgado said. “What Alexis is going through as a teenager, he shouldn’t have to do alone. We want him to know he has support, and we are all there for him and his family.”

Not only is the Bel Air Soccer program showing their support with shaved heads, but so are other students at the high school who have chosen to shave their heads.

Sonya Arellano has been a proud mom, and supporter for the Highlanders soccer team.

In a way, she’s the team mom. The team by shaving their heads isn’t just shaving their heads for their teammate and friend, but for their team mom as well, who cheers them on every chance she gets.