Ruben Alvarez, first-year boys soccer coach at Greenfield High,
wanted his voice heard. He wasn’t mad, but he was concerned.
Ruben Alvarez, first-year boys soccer coach at Greenfield High, wanted his voice heard. He wasn’t mad, but he was concerned. His team had just defeated Anzar 10-0 in a Mission Trail Athletic League varsity match, with an emphasis on “varsity.”
“Something has to be done by the league,” said Alvarez. “Anzar should be playing in a junior varsity league. It would be more competitive for them. And it’s hard for a team trying to win a championship to play them.”
It was a bit hard to read Alvarez. Was he concerned about the Hawks taking the beatings or was he thinking about his own team, which is battling for first place with RLS, getting something out of the match? Alvarez discussed the whole situation with Anzar coach Mick Brown.
“I didn’t see that he cared that much about his team not getting anything out of the match,” said Brown. “He just feels that it is better for us to build a program with a junior varsity team only. Our problem is that it’s hard to get 18 quality players in such a small school.”
Therein lies the rub. If there was a JV team at the school, plus a varsity, at least 30 players minimum would be needed to field both teams. Anzar took the field in yesterday’s match vs. the Bruins with 10 players, due to a few still being on vacation in Mexico. That’s not the way to play any team, to say nothing of a quality soccer team like Greenfield’s.
I remember writing a column about last year’s Hawks team, which lost to Greenfield by a wide margin. It might even have been the year before last. My column talked about the Hawks players beefing with each other and blaming each other and how they should just have fun and enjoy it. They had put in their own money for the uniforms, and all.
I am happy to report that I saw hardly any of that negative talk in Tuesday’s match, even when the game got out of hand. The Hawks played hard and the mouths were closed, for the most part. One can’t blame the Hawks players for feeling frustrated, especially playing a man down. It’s like playing the game with two toes on one foot.
Brown seems like the right man for the job.
“He has the right personality,” said an Anzar sports booster of Brown. “The players seem to be in the right spots.”
Brown graduated from Live Oak in 1976 and played on a De Anza College summer team before playing Division III soccer in Norway.
His son, Nick, is a sophomore on the team. Having his son on the team, hopefully, will keep Mick around for this season and, at least, two more. It is vital not to have revolving coaches at any level in order to achieve continuity.
And keep in mind, not every game is a blowout. The Hawks lost to Carmel 3-2 to start the year and Gonzales 1-0 at home on Dec. 11.
“We should have won those games,” said Brown.
Brown is thankful for what he has.
“Every kid out here loves the game,” he said.
That’s what it’s all about, no matter what league you play in.
