Ginger Fontenot, a senior at Cam High, committed to the University of Pennsylvania, UPenn, on Oct. 20, 2018.

Fontenot was born in Texas and moved to Oxnard at the age of three. She said her love for soccer started early on in her life. She was inspired by her oldest sibling, Teresa, to join a soccer club. Fontenot began playing club soccer for the Eagles team since the age of 13, and she has been on their team for the past six years.

Fontenot is motivated to continue playing soccer by the thrill of the game. She said, “It’s adrenaline you can’t get anywhere else, that feeling is unlike anything I’ve ever felt.” She was a member of the Moorpark High School Soccer Team and she played on the varsity team during her freshman, sophomore and junior year. She is now a member of the Cam High Varsity Soccer Team.  

Fontenot is looking forward to attending UPenn for the 2020 fall semester. “I can’t wait to explore the city and environment in Philly. I’ve never been in such a big city before,” said Fontenot, who plans to study mechanical engineering and film at the university. Fontenot chose mechanical engineering and film because she loves movies.

“I loved watching movies as a kid and my parents always bought them on Blue Ray. I saw the Star Wars Series and I just knew I had to pursue film,” she said. Fontenot found a love for mechanical engineering when she saw drag racing — a type of motor racing where automobiles or motorcycles compete for first place — and attended an event. Fontenot said, “When I went to drag races, just seeing the pit and experiencing that made me feel the adrenaline.”

Despite wanting to excel at UPenn, Fontenot’s dreams stretch far beyond college: she said her dream “would be to play soccer for the US Women’s National Team.”