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Guilherme Teixeira became Springwood’s most prolific soccer player during his three seasons with the program. Now, Teixeira is taking his talents to the next level as he signed to play for Oakton Community College in Illinois on Wednesday. 

Teixeira is excited about the opportunity to play at the next level, but he also believes that this is just the beginning of his journey as a soccer player. 

“I’m really grateful to get to the next level,” Teixeira said. “I plan to play for these two years and then transfer to a D1 or D2. I’m definitely going to work hard.” 

Teixeira came to Springwood from Brazil through the International House. Transferring from a different school can be tough, but Teixeira had to adjust to a whole new culture and way of life. 

Teixeira’s fellow international students made the adjustment easier. Several of the international students play soccer, and the blend of cultures made it easier for him to adjust to being a student at Springwood. 

“We have around 30 people living in the International House,” Teixeira said. “You just get used to the different cultures…Everything’s different. You have people that share this common factor with you that help you a lot.” 

Teixeira has seen a lot of success on the pitch during his three seasons with Springwood. As a sophomore, Teixeira helped Springwood advance to the state championship but finished as the runner-up. Teixeira’s junior and senior seasons were the best in Springwood’s history as he led the team to back-to-back state championships. 

Teixeira also leaves Springwood with his name entrenched in the soccer program’s record book. Teixeira holds the single-season goal record with 33, and he holds the record for career goals with 77. 

“Ever since he came in, he’s been a great part of the team,” Springwood coach John Lanier said. “He’s fit in well with the guys… Fantastic player, awesome attitude. Just the kind of player everybody wants to coach. He’s been such a great part of the team and a huge part of our success.” 

Teixeira is most proud of the state championships he won as a Wildcat, but the records are a welcomed addition. 

Springwood has seen several soccer players go on to play at the next level over the past few years, and that shows just how much the program has grown. 

The international school deserves a lot of credit for that growth. Several of the international players have come in with polished skill sets and made an immediate impact on the team’s success. 

“This year, we had six or seven guys that were international,” Lanier said. “I believe we started having guys come in around 2020. They’ve integrated really well with the guys. The guys love learning about their culture, and they love being here and being a part of our culture. It’s just been a fun experience for them and us.” 

Teixeira came to Springwood with a lot of talent, but he has also grown during his three seasons with the Wildcats. Teixeira has always been a dominant scorer, but his leadership needed to be developed over time. 

This year, Teixeira was one of Springwood’s captains and one of the more vocal players on the team. Teixeira knew he needed to step up as a leader during his senior season. He watched the senior leadership during his junior season and tried to model that leadership as a senior. 

“He’s always had some amazing skill. I think that just in the last few years you’ve seen him grow as a leader,” Lanier said. “He’s always able to do amazing things on the field, but just seeing him interact with the guys, lead, step up and be the guy that brings guys up with him, it’s just been the biggest thing that I’ve seen him grow in. That’s going to be awesome for him in college.” 

Teixeira has lofty expectations for himself as an athlete. Teixeira hopes to play for the United Premiere Soccer League while also becoming a dominant college soccer player. 

Teixeira is from Brazil, but he is a true Wildcat. While he is excited about the next step, leaving the family he has built at Springwood is going to be a difficult process. 

“I’m going to miss so much. It has been three great years,” Teixeira said. “It is going to be hard to be without all of these great people.”