Callanta excels all over the field

San Benito High senior Kristen Callanta showed moxie at an early age.
While playing in a recreation league game as a 7-year-old, Callanta asked her coach to move her to forward from her goalkeeper position “so I could score.”
And that’s exactly what Callanta did. Despite showing a glimpse of her offensive potential, Callanta would play goalkeeper for another year until she reached the more competitive club level.
“I was a good goalkeeper, but it’s a whole different game when you’re playing club competition,” she said. “So when I was 8, I started playing in the midfield.”
Since then, Callanta, who was last year’s Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division Junior of the Year, has played every position on the field except her original position as a goalkeeper. Whether she’s at forward, in the midfield, or on defense, Callanta’s versatility gives Haybalers coach Becky Bonner flexibility in rolling out her best lineup.
Last year, Callanta primarily played as a midfielder, and was second on the team with 14 goals. This season, Bonner put Callanta on defense, knowing the Balers needed defenders who could be dynamic on the counterattack.
“Kristen is a powerhouse on the field,” said Bonner, whose team had a 7-3-1 overall record and a perfect 5-0-0 mark in the Monterey Bay League Gabilan Division standings entering Wednesday’s showdown against Salinas, which also entered the match with a 5-0-0 league record (the result wasn’t available when this edition went to press).
“She’s very dynamic on defense, and we need defenders who could push up and join the attack if needed. Kristen can literally play every position on the field, and she could probably do well if I put her in as a goalie. She has amazing footwork, can run for days and never gets tired. And the coolest thing about her is no matter what the score is, she stays focused the entire time.”
The 5-foot-8 Callanta, who has earned a scholarship to play at Converse University, a Division II program in South Carolina, has anchored a San Benito defense that entering Wednesday’s game had yet to allow a goal in five league contests. In a 4-0 win over Watsonville on Jan. 24, the Balers yielded just five shots on goal.
On the rare occasions when a league opponent has mustered a quality scoring chance against the Balers this season, Callanta has been there to take or kick the ball away. In other words, it’s where an offensive attack goes to die. Possessing tremendous instincts and speed, Callanta often wins the 50-50 balls, a true measure of a player’s desire and grit.
“Kristen understands the game and reads the field well,” Bonner said. “She puts herself in the best position on the field to be successful, which is why she can play both offense and defense. Generally speaking, it’s rare in this sport to have a player who can do both because the positions require a different skill set.”
Said Callanta: “I like stopping goals more than scoring them. Scoring goals are fun, but I think you take a little more pride when you can stop the other team from scoring.”
However, the highlight of her season came in a 3-0 victory over Pajaro Valley on Jan. 17, when Callanta blew by at least two players to score her first goal of the season. Asked how she was able to score, Callanta was succinct: “I was too fast for them.”
Callanta has developed into a college-bound player because of an indefatigable work ethic. She still watches videos of Portuguese superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in hopes of learning a new move or becoming more technically sound in certain aspects of the game.
“Kristen is one of those players who gets home after practice and continues to practice on her own,” Bonner said. “She pushes herself in conditioning, and you really see the benefits of that in our games.”
Callanta doesn’t exactly circle any games on her calendar, but she said that whenever the Balers play Gilroy, it’s always a big deal.
“They’ve always been our big rivals,” she said. “So no matter what the records are, it’s always great to play them. One of my proudest moments came when I had an assist against them in our second game against them last year.”
Time and again, Bonner sees a relentless player whose relentless energy has a positive effect on her teammates.
“Kristen never gives in or quits even in tough circumstances,” Bonner said. “You never forget about players who keep on pushing until they have no more left to give.”