LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) -- Aila Swinton, the senior team captain of Cajun Soccer, has overcome significant obstacles, including ACL injuries in high school, to lead her team with a relentless spirit.

Swinton's journey in soccer began at Gulf Breeze High School, where she faced challenges due to her injuries. Despite colleges losing interest in her, she found an opportunity at Kennesaw State, which she described as having an amazing area and great school environment.

"I tore my ACLs in high school, so it was tough for me to even, like, get recruited," Swinton said. "Colleges kind of lost interest in me and I was like, oh, that's okay."

Swinton explained her decision to transfer to the University of Louisiana.

"I got to UL because I was ready for change," she said. "You know, the only way to grow is to put yourself in uncomfortable situations."

Outside of the field, Swinton spends free time making origami. She was influenced by her Japanese heritage as a child. She shared that her mother is Japanese, and growing up, she was surrounded by Japanese culture, which led her to take up origami as a hobby.

Swinton finds similarities between soccer and origami, noting that both require meticulous preparation and attention to detail. She explained that just like origami, where precision is key, soccer demands practice and familiarity with teammates to achieve a flow state.

Swinton's origami skills have a personal touch, as she often makes cranes, a traditional symbol of well-wishing, especially for those who are unwell.

"If someone's, like, unwell in a hospital or something, they'll make like a thousand origami cranes, I've made a lot of those in my life." she said.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KLFY. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KLFY staff before being published.

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