Coaches to lobby officials to move varsity team to junior
varsity level
By JAWARA HARRISON
Pinnacle Staff Writer
After four years of watching the struggling Anzar Hawks men’s
soccer program, Greenfield Spartans coach Ruben Alvarez has seen
enough.
After four years of watching the struggling Anzar Hawks men’s soccer program, Greenfield Spartans coach Ruben Alvarez has seen enough.
The 12-0 shellacking Alvarez’s Spartans handed to the Hawks Tuesday afternoon was the last straw. Following the game, Alvarez said that he and other coaches in the Mission Trail Athletic League would lobby to change the men’s team status from varsity to junior varsity.
“We’re out here trying to win a championship, and the league is trying to make us look like the villains,” Alvarez said. “Anzar has only nine players. They have no depth and their skills are at a junior varsity level.”
Alvarez also said that the Hawks would greatly benefit from the move because the young men will learn the basics of the sport while still being competitive instead of getting thrashed almost every game and getting their confidence crushed.
“I know if they are moved down that this team can win the junior varsity championship,” Alvarez said. “The coaches are going to get together and see what we can do. This has been going on for four years, and we’ve had enough.”
He won’t get an argument from Anzar Coach Mick Brown.
“We’re a young team,” said Brown. “I’m glad (Alvarez) made that observation. I think something should be done.”
Despite the hustling effort put forth by the Hawks, the Spartans did anything it wanted to on the pitch.
By halftime, the Spartans built a 3-0 lead and two minutes into the second half Greenfield doubled its lead. By the time the Spartans reached seven goals, Alvarez already cleared his bench.
It had gotten so bad that toward the end of the game Spartan goalie Eric Hernandez tried to get in on the action. Up 12-0, Hernandez dribbled the ball out of the goal and down the field before anyone was on him. One Hawks player was so frustrated and close to being thrown out that Brown pulled him even there was no substitute on the bench.
Spartans forward Julio Hernandez led the scoring barrage with a hat trick while Damian Gutierrez and Jose Hernandez tallied two goals apiece.
Part of the Hawks problem is finding enough players. Not all of the young men make it through the season. The prolonged losing streaks and bitter blowouts can crush a young team mentally and scare off potential players.
If the Hawks were to move down a skill level, maybe things would change.
“The kids give their best every time I’ve seen them play. They don’t deserve this,” Alvarez said. “We just want to get the league to understand our position.”
In its past two games, the Hawks have surrendered 23 goals while scoring none and went winless a season ago.
