Local family is the fuel behind a 12-year-old soccer star dreams

NEWBERRY — A local 12-year-old boy’s hardwork and dreams are becoming a reality this summer. Isaias Meza is just a middle schooler who knows exactly what he wants to do with his life, and that is to play soccer at the professional level. Well, now he is one step closer after the 12-year-old was selected for the 12u Barca Academy team that is under the FC Barcelona professical club team.

Isaias love for soccer came about like most young athletes, he was inspired by someone older in his family. That person was is older sister Xitlalic Meza, who is a member of the girls varsity soccer team at Newberry High School. Isaias started playing soccer at four-years-old for the local YMCA in Newberry.

“When I was little I would go to my sister’s game to watch her play and that would inspire me,” said Isaias.

Xitlalic started her soccer journey at the YMCA as well, but never explored the club or acamedy route like her younger brother because there aren’t any for women’s soccer. So, she started playing at Newberry High School as a seventh grader and is still apart of the team.

As for Isaias, he had more opportunities to advance his game with him being a male soccer player. His parents, Nichole Rivera and Jose Meza, recognized his talent early and believed he needed more of a challenge. So, they presented it for him and start letting him play in leagues in Chapin, S.C. and Lexington, S.C.

Then, his dad saw that Barca Academy was having open try-outs in Charlotte, N.C. for their academy and his dad jumped on the opportunity.

“It was hard at first because we saw that he did have talent and we wanted to give him a challenge. So, we started with the Y at first then we moved to Chapin’s YMCA and then eventually moved him to Lexington Soccer Club. We were there for about two years then my husband found Barca Soccer Club in Charlotte. So we set up the try out and they were impressed. He made the team then we started going to Charlotte three times a week for games and practice,” said Nichole.

Nichole is a stay at home mom and Jose works a lot of long hours, but still attends as many games as possible.

“It’s a little hard sometimes, but I don’t look at it as a sacrifice. I see it as apart of being a father. We try to do what’s best for them and I am thankful for that. It’s amazing to see the talent he’s got. I grew up in Mexico City and we played every night in the street but nothing like Isaias. Watching him is something different,” said Jose.

Jose was born in Mexico City, Mexico and all he has known for his entire life was hard work. He enjoyed playing soccer in his free time, but never took it serious enough to pursue his passion for the game.

Nichole was born in Texas, but moved to South Carolina as an adolescent. Unfortunately for her, she attended a school that didn’t have a girls soccer team at the time. So, she took interest in other sports like volleyball, softball, basketball and was a cheerleader. Her love for soccer never went away and she began to volunteer as a coach when she had her own kids and saw they took an interest in the sport.

Now, both parents hard work is starting to pay off with Isaias getting this wonderful opportunity to travel out of the country this summer and play in stadiums that some of the greats have played in.

“He just took on the sport and loved it right away. I mean he practices everyday regardless of rain or shine, he’s out there practicing hard. We are very, very, very proud of him,” said Nichole.

Isaias have his mother, father and older sister in his corner, but the glue to holding their family together is his grandmother, Liz Rivera. She is very well known in the Newberry community and doesn’t mind going the extra mile for her family. She has helped Isaias’ soccer dream by promoting him on Facebook, doing fundraisers to help raise money for his trip to Barcelona this summer and walking into the Newberry Observer office to tell our staff about this wonderful achievement of making a national team at such a young age.

“We are very proud. When my daughter was the coach, we saw that both[Isaias and Xitlalic] had talent. We just tried to challenge both of them. Scouts came out and saw him in Lexington and then a few more times. That’s when we knew,” said Liz. “I am so proud of both of them and I just tell everyone. They like it and we don’t push them. He’s not pushed by me or his parents to do anything. They push themselves and that pushes us. We are so proud that he will be representing the United States, the state of South Carolina and Newberry County.”

This family has remained close through the good and bad. The bad came in December 2024 when Itzelt Meza tragically passed away. She was the oldest of the Meza children and the older sister of Isaias. Her untimely death is another reason for the Isaias’ inspiration to play the game.

The Barca Academy will begin play on April 11th and Isaias is hoping that is first time going ot Barcelona, but certainly not his last time. This opportunity has also increased his popularity in the hallways of Newberry Middle, but he says he is still humble.

“I hope I can become a professional soccer player because that’s really it for me. The only dream I have is to become a professional. I don’t care about what league I play, but my dream is to play for FC Barcelona. If I have to go somewhere else though to play then I will because I just want to play as a professional,” said Isaias.