ANDOVER – Two words might best describe Greater Lawrence Tech girls soccer team’s 2024 season:
Shock and awe.
One win away from a program record (10-4-1) and having two of the area’s top goal producers, Carmela Bellitti and Soanii Hoskins, the Reggies have made a lot of noise the pitch.
But there has been another story brewing in the program, one of inspiration that coach Christian Cano believes might be bigger.
The Liamely Gonzalez Beato story.
A part-time player, when Liamely was born doctors told her mother that her daughter’s muscles wouldn’t develop, or even mature when she got older.
That remains the case today, which limits her running to just a few minutes at a time.
“I didn’t really understand everything until I got older and started running more,” she said. “I just knew that I was slower than everyone else. When I run, it just feels like I get cramps (in my legs), and I just know that I can’t run any faster.”
Cano said that in all of years of playing and coaching, he’s never been around a player with such an incredible attitude – when it could easily be the opposite.
“If anyone on the team starts complaining that they are tired, they’re like wait a minute, Liamely is here working and I need to get my act together because I have no excuses. If she is trying her best, then I’ve got to do my part as well,” he said. “Everybody looks up to her. She keeps the team together just by her spirit alone.”
That spirit is contagious through and through the entire Reggies team, which awaits word on their first round opponent in the Division 4 state tournament.
“For Liamely to get a little bit of gains, she needs to do ten times more work than everybody else,” said Cano. “She tries her best to finish every drill, even though her legs are giving out. When you have something that limits you in that way, and you still show up and put in the hard work, to show everybody that it’s OK, I don’t need pity. I just need you to give me a chance to prove myself, and I’ll do the best that I can. That’s what we all love – and she is just amazing.”
Before high school, Beato never participated in sports but that all changed on the suggestion from her mother.
“I’m glad she told me to do this. Soccer makes me happy. Everyone on the team is great and the running, the practicing and doing drills, doing laps, has all helped me,” said Beato. “Soccer is one of the sports I never expected to play. What keeps me energized is my team. Being part of this team is amazing and really showed me how to be myself.”
Being herself, her teammates say, has not only motivated others, but has helped bring the team together.
“It takes a lot of drive to keep on coming to something that’s so challenging and that’s amazing in itself,” said Bellitti. “Liamely is so positive, and she is friends with everybody. She just keeps the team going. She’s always there to support us no matter what. Her dedication is much bigger than everyone else’s.”
Twitter:@JamiePote