Held to an identical 3-8-1 league record the last two years, the
San Benito boys soccer team is starting fresh this season with a
youthful squad and a new coach at the helm.
Held to an identical 3-8-1 league record the last two years, the San Benito boys soccer team is starting fresh this season with a youthful squad and a new coach at the helm.
Ben Alvarez is taking the reigns for the 2007-08 campaign, and although he is new to coaching the Haybalers, he’s familiar with the majority of its players.
Alvarez has coached the Hollister Tremors club soccer team off and on for the last 10 years, and among the 19 ‘Balers making up this year’s varsity roster, Alvarez said he’s coached approximately 16 of them.
The familiarity between coach and player, as well as between player and coach, will hopefully keep the learning curve to a minimum for San Benito this season.
“They know what I like to do and what the goal is that we’re trying to accomplish,” Alvarez said. “It’s a young team … but these kids, they know how to play with each other and I feel very strongly about this team.”
After compiling a 4-12-2 overall record last season, San Benito lost 12 seniors to graduation, including the club’s leading goal scorer, first team all-leaguer Eddie Trujillo, who led the ‘Balers with six scores.
This year, San Benito has three seniors, including Efrain Espinoza, who was also a first team selection as a junior.
“It’s a young team. We have a lot to do,” Espinoza said. “[Alvarez] is a good coach, good attitude, and he’ll make the team go up.”
While Espinoza has been on the varsity team since he was a freshmen, junior Jordan Schafer will play his first year at the varsity level. He too, though, mentioned youth as a possible obstacle for the ‘Balers this year, but added that many of the players have been teammates on the club level.
“Everyone knows each other,” Schafer said. “A lot of the kids have been playing together for a long time … We’ve been working hard. We’ve been practicing hard. I think we’re doing well and I think we’re a lot more disciplined.”
Players are hopeful that being a more disciplined squad will lead to more wins. And wins will be needed against top Tri-County Athletic League talent such as Alisal, Everett Alvarez and last season’s champ, Gilroy.
Schafer said that Gilroy should be near the top again, as they didn’t lose many seniors.
“The only thing I can promise is that we’re going to work hard,” Alvarez said. “From there, time will tell. My goal is to have a good team out on the field and to teach them things that I want to teach them. The wins will come … We’ll make it work.”
The ‘Balers will kick off their season today at North Monterey County at 3:30 p.m., and continue next week with a match against Gonzales.
Prior to starting the league season on Dec. 11 at Palma, San Benito will play in a preseason matchup at King City, who have taken the Mission Trials Athletic League three times since 2002, including last year.
“So we’re going to practice hard and be ready for when our time comes,” Alvarez said. “Youth will be a challenge, but after the first couple of games, we will adjust.”
As with any youthful team, growing pains will likely occur. But Alvarez feels that as the team becomes more acquainted with his coaching style, and with some game experience under their belt, as he said, the wins will come.
“Once the new kids come in, it’s going to be a show,” he said. “Once we get that chemistry going, I think we’re gonna do well.”
