If you’re wondering how excited Hollister residents Jairo and
Omar Solorio are for the International Power Football World Cup,
consider the fact that they’ll be leaving a week early for the
event.
Hollister – If you’re wondering how excited Hollister residents Jairo and Omar Solorio are for the International Power Football World Cup, consider the fact that they’ll be leaving a week early for the event.
Of course, it is in Tokyo, and while they may perhaps take in their fair share of sight seeing in that week, they also want to be acclimated to the time difference for the inaugural event.
“It’s a little nerve-racking,” said Omar, 22, “but at the same time, it’s exciting … This is going to be our first time out of the country.”
The brothers, who compete on the Hollister Freewheelers, were named starters to Team USA after tryouts in Tampa, Fla., earlier this month. While other selectees hail from Indiana, Georgia, Florida and Arizona, four are from California, and two from San Benito County.
Some 18 people came to Tampa for Selection Camp, and only eight were chosen to the starting team with four alternates.
“This is gonna be the first World Cup,” Omar said. “Getting to visit another country for something so important, it’s going to be amazing.”
“It’s about representing your country,” said Jairo, who later admitted that that sounds funny to say. The 18-year-old also noted that although the trip to Tokyo is not one of anxiousness but of curiosity (“I haven’t been over the ocean,” he said), he is a little nervous to play in the World Cup.
Freewheelers coach Don Jones, who has coached Omar and Jairo for the past nine years on the power wheelchair soccer team, didn’t seem too shocked that the brothers were named to the starting lineup.
“They’re the best of the best,” he said. “I’d consider them the two best players in the country.”
Added Jones with a laugh, “But I’m a little partial.”
The Solorio’s experience with power soccer, as well as their mastery of the game, will hopefully ease the transition to the World Cup, which will be played under international rules.
The Solorio’s, as well as the 10 other teammates scattered across the country, have been familiarizing themselves with the new rules which have been described to closely mimic a game of American soccer.
“The rules are practically the same now,” said Omar, comparing the differences between American and international rules. “About a year or two ago, the U.S. was about pushing the ball.
“Now it’s more of a passing game – spin your chair. Now we are spread out. We don’t bunch up … It is more harder than it was before.”
Jones said the new rules, which the team has been practicing under for approximately one year, make the game more like regular soccer.
“Before you were just pushing the ball around,” Jones said. “I think they’ll adjust pretty well. This last year, they were developing their skills quite nicely.”
In an effort to learn the new rules and develop team chemistry, the Solorio’s have been practicing with others in California. Every Monday and Thursday, the brothers travel to San Jose to practice with USA teammates Jerry Book of San Jose and Jessica Lehman of Emeryville.
The full team – all 12 members – has met up four times this year in Las Vegas, Newark, Calif., Indianapolis and Minneapolis, all in an effort to be on the same page when they travel to Tokyo for the World Cup.
“We’re just trying to get used to playing with each other,” Jairo said. “It’d be really hard to score without knowing where each player wants the ball and how they move and their tendencies. But it’s been coming along well.”
The Solorio-led Team USA will head to Tokyo on Sept. 29, while the World Cup will commence on Oct. 7 and run through Oct. 14.
Jones added that the French have been playing under the international rules since the 1970s, and have been chosen as the favorites for this upcoming World Cup.
But nobody is giving the World Cup to France just yet.
“This new style of play is what they’re used to playing, so they’re the favorites,” Omar said. “Over time, I really believe we can pretty much challenge any team.”
