When Charlene Tomasini played on youth soccer clubs growing up, she was the person who other players’ parents feared.
“I was a little crazy,” said Tomasini, a junior forward at Anzar High. “Parents would shield their children away from me, and I’m sure I got quite a few of them angry along the way. When I started plowing over girls when I was 6, I knew soccer was going to be my calling.”
A number of years have gone by, but the 16-year-old Tomasini remains an ultra-aggressive player who refuses to back down physically. However, Tomasini has harnessed her physical play to the point where she can draw fouls on opponents rather than committing one herself.
“I’ve always been a bruiser on my teams, but I’ve learned to tone it down and stop the fouls,” said Tomasini, who entered Wednesday’s contest against Marina with a team-high 12 goals in eight games. “It’s always been a struggle to stay aggressive without fouling, but I think I’ve succeeded.”
Tomasini’s evolving game and maturity is perhaps the biggest reason why the Hawks have gone from also-ran to a team contending for a Mission Trail Coastal Athletic League championship.
Blending a combination of speed, power and a nose for the goal, Tomasini scored four goals in a 9-0 win over Trinity Christian of Monterey on Jan. 21. Although Anzar plays in a league with some of the smallest schools in the Central Coast Section, Tomasini doesn’t count as one of those players who is only racking up goals because her team is playing inferior competition.
For the last two years, Tomasini has played with the Santa Cruz Jaws, a 19-and-under gold club soccer team. Last season, Tomasini said she led the Jaws with 12 goals.
Translation: Tomasini is a legitimate talent who has the potential to play in college, according to Hawks coach Tony Rosa.
“She has the skills and determination to be a college player,” said Rosa, who previously coached at Mission College in Santa Clara. “Charlene controls the ball well, can dribble around defenders and of course her speed really stands out.”
For as long as she can remember, Tomasini’s routine has been this: school, practice, shower, dinner and homework. She credits her parents, Jana and David, for instilling in her discipline and a tremendous work ethic.
“My parents were really strict about my schedule, and I used to resent that, but now I’m thankful for that,” Tomasini said. “My mom is my best friend, and she’s a great role model and person to look up to.”
Tomasini’s older brother, Zach, is a senior at Anzar and plays on the football and soccer teams. Tomasini said she developed her insatiable appetite for competition as she challenged Zach in anything, from races to soccer to other activities.
One time the challenge turned bloody, as Tomasini needed to get stitches when the two decided to race on a whim six years ago.
“One day we’re coming home from church and he says, ‘Let’s race,’” Tomasini said. “I never turn down a chance to kick his butt, so we end up racing. I had high heels on and was beating him when I looked back. He kind of shoves me and I get smacked into a wooden pole. My head is split open and I end up getting a concussion. I always give him a hard time about it.”
Don’t mistake Zach as being a mean brother; rather, Tomasini said her the sibling rivalry benefited both of them.
“Zach and I always had a rivalry since we were little,” she said. “We’ve always had an ongoing argument on who’s faster, and he’s helped me a lot in becoming a better player.”
Tomasini plans on leading the team to a spot in the Central Coast Section playoffs, a thought that would’ve been laughable just a year ago. However, the Hawks have shown they’re legitimate contenders to win the Coastal League.
Tomasini said Rosa has brought a fresh approach to the squad, which along with a number of other sports teams at the school has often struggled with either a lack of numbers or full commitment from the players, or both.
Rosa immediately came in and changed the culture within the program, using his 30-plus years of coaching experience to guide the Hawks to one of their best seasons in recent memory.
Rosa has been particularly helpful with Tomasini, who often had a tough time protecting the ball.
“Tony has stressed shielding the ball from Day One,” Tomasini said. “He always tells me the best players don’t lose the ball, and I’ve taken that to heart and run with it.”
It shows.
