EPHRATA – Ephrata Tigers junior soccer player Diego Pichardo was nominated for the 2025 Youth Athlete of the Year award. The winner of the award will be featured in a 3BRAND advertisement in Sports Illustrated and receive a $25,000 prize. 

“I’ve just been loving (soccer) so much,” said Pichardo. “The sport has been everything to me basically.” 

Pichardo played as a winger for the Tigers in the past and is now looking to become a midfielder. He has enjoyed playing soccer his whole life and said he got into the sport through his father’s love of the game.

His mother Joyce Suarez was the one to nominate Pichardo for the competition. She said that she has seen the dedication her son has put into the sport over the years and thought it would be worth it to recognize his efforts. 

“They only play soccer during the springtime and when the season is done Diego always looks for more,” said Suarez. 

During the offseason last year, she said Pichardo got himself involved in both indoor soccer and joined a league in Moses Lake as a way to improve his skills and continue with the sport even when he couldn’t play for the high school. 

“He’s constantly just working on getting better and he loves it, and I want to be that support for him,” said Suarez. 

As of this morning, Pichardo sits in fourth in the semi-finals of the competition, with voting for this portion of the competition ending tonight at 7 p.m. Those interested in voting for him can go to https://athleteoftheyear.org/2025/diego-1574. 

    Diego Pichardo playing club soccer with one of the leagues in Moses Lake during the offseason. Pichardo has made it to the semifinals of the competition for Youth Athlete of the Year where he currently sits in third.