As a high school soccer player at Live Oak in the late 90s, Tony
Deras can still remember just how costly it was to lose a player
late in the season, either to injury or to grades; just how
important it was to keep the team together from start to finish, as
the loss of one player can derail an entire team’s chances at
success. It’s why following last week’s 2-0 victory over Soledad,
as well as after Tuesday’s 5-1 win against Greenfield, members from
the San Benito boys soccer team conducted a 20-minute postgame
warm-down session, then headed over to the high school for study
hall.
HOLLISTER
As a high school soccer player at Live Oak in the late 90s, Tony Deras can still remember just how costly it was to lose a player late in the season, either to injury or to grades; just how important it was to keep the team together from start to finish, as the loss of one player can derail an entire team’s chances at success.
It’s why following last week’s 2-0 victory over Soledad, as well as after Tuesday’s 5-1 win against Greenfield, members from the San Benito boys soccer team conducted a 20-minute postgame warm-down session, then headed over to the high school for study hall.
It’s Deras’ way of keeping everyone on the same page, and hopefully everyone on the pitch from November to February.
“The players I selected (at the beginning of the season), those are the players I want to finish the season with,” said Deras, who was announced as the Balers’ head coach in October, and takes over a San Benito varsity team that went 6-12-1 overall last season.
“That means keeping their grades up. I don’t want them to go through the same thing,” Deras added. “Like I told the boys, they have to balance school with soccer.”
It’s a hands-on approach for Deras, who feels the added time on the field and in the classroom is not only helping in both of those respects, but is also bringing the team together to form one cohesive unit. The first-year head coach didn’t even name captains this year, wanting to make sure everyone is seen as equal.
“We have confidence in all the players,” said senior stopper Steven Mercado.
“We have confidence in the whole team, and our coach, too,” added senior right forward Francisco Palomino.
The team’s assurance has so far translated in the win column, as the Balers have already posted victories over Gonzales, Monte Vista Christian, Soledad and Greenfield. In fact, San Benito’s 4-0 mark to open this season’s campaign is the best start for the program in at least 10 years.
“We’re not surprised,” Mercado said of the fast start. “We’ve always had strong individual players. But we’re playing as a team, and coach is getting us to play as a team.”
On Tuesday, the Balers showed as much against Greenfield — playing a ball-possession game of short passes and open spaces in the first half that left the visiting Bruins constantly chasing San Benito’s attack — but they also showed just how much there is still left to go.
With the team’s longest passes coming as a result of corner kicks, the Balers jumped out to a three-goal stranglehold in the first 15 minutes of play, and played a game of keep-away that limited Greenfield to just one shot on net in the first 40 minutes.
But although the Balers managed to tack on two more goals en route to a 5-1 victory in the second half, the Bruins increased their intensity in the latter stanza, and even scored a goal in the 75th minute of play to end the shutout.
“We’re not there yet, not at our full potential. But we’re getting there,” Mercado said. “More as a team, not as individuals.”
Palomino pocketed three goals for the Balers on Tuesday, while Brian Cruz added a goal and an assist, Ricardo Roque added a pair of assists and Ivan Martinez another goal.
However, the first half’s sound play was quickly reduced after halftime of Tuesday’s game.
“It was 3-0, then they started playing sloppy,” Deras said. “It was the best result (of the season), but not the best game.”
Teaching a game of ball possession isn’t easy, of course. Lateral and backwards passes to open players and space doesn’t always come off naturally when the object of the game is to push forward and score. But the Balers are beginning to buy in to one of Deras’ philosophies: defense first, then attack.
“The best defense is when the opponent doesn’t have the ball,” Mercado said. “It takes time. It’s not difficult, but it does take practice.”
Deras plans on implementing many different fronts based on what the opponent is showing, and will gear his game plans to what the opponent will allow.
Just 27, Deras is also the coach of Elite SC Independent, a 15-and-under competitive boys soccer team in the San Jose Youth Soccer League, which has already earned several accolades to its name, despite its limited existence. Deras has also been coaching the San Benito junior varsity this year as well.
Although the JV has a new head coach in Juan Cordova, Deras plans to help out as much as he can with the duties, in order to ensure everyone in the program, as he says, is on the same page.
Whether it leads to wins over powerhouse teams like Alisal and Gilroy, or perhaps a postseason bid, which hasn’t happened for the boys program since 1983, remains to be seen. Without expecting much in his first season, though, Deras is simply planning on instilling some of his philosophies and approaches in the first year.
And the team’s success will be based on what they are able to take out of it.
“We’re gonna go as far as they want to take it,” Deras said. “I’m providing the tools. I’m gonna show them how to play better soccer. But they’re gonna make it happen.”
