Written By: Owen Weems, Editor-In-Chief
GOALS: Varsity Soccer is up to the challenge; while they score goals on the field, the players are rising to meet their goals off the pitch.
Soccer needs no introduction. This game has earned its place in the hearts of many thanks to its dynamic gameplay and hundreds of talented players from every corner of the world. It is not surprising that it has become the most popular sport in the world, with the FIFA World Cup attracting almost as many viewers as the Olympics themselves.
And Riverside has not let this sport pass us by, with soccer being part of our city’s deep-rooted high school tradition. Poly High School has been at the forefront, leading our community in building up the expansive tradition surrounding the soccer field and the fans who cheer from the sideline. Mr Bailey, Varsity Boys Soccer’s head coach and our city’s former mayor, explains that this tradition goes back to before some of our biggest rivals, such as Arlington and King, even existed. In the history of the Poly program, there have only been three head coaches, with one coach serving for decades. Tom Tilson, boys soccer’s first coach, worked adamantly to build the team, surmounting all odds and creating quite a win record during his time at Poly, amounting to nearly 650 wins over his decorated career. Bailey was inspired by Coach Tilson, after “playing four for Poly’s soccer team back during high school,” eventually becoming “the Captain during his senior year.” This attitude is what inspired him to come back and help Mr. Figueroa, the previous head coach, as the assistant coach when he had finished his time in politics. He didn’t expect to come back to coaching, but “Mr. Figueroa called him up and asked if he would want to be an assistant coach” for the varsity boys. As a Poly alumni, this school holds a special place in his heart, so he couldn’t refuse.
Coach Bailey brings a unique coaching approach to the team dynamic. Coach Bailey looks for three things in practice; “he evaluates the boys on three things every day: 1) attitude, 2) effort, and 3) talent.” In the pre-season, while everyone is just coming back from club or their well-deserved time off, Coach Bailey’s practices revolved around what he calls the “Three Fs.” This stands for “fitness, fundamentals, and fidelity.” Using these the players work hard to build a strong base off which they can springboard when the season comes around. Coach Bailey sends them to “run around the neighborhood, work on their fundamentals (shooting, first touch, etc.), and come together as a team” to fulfill the goals for the early practice. They shift gears when the season comes around, focusing instead on the “three Cs,” which are “character, competence, and commitment.” The team dynamic is the most important part of a successful program, so he is willing to remove players if they don’t show proper character. As to commitment, he believes this is critical to the process, as commitment is the first step to the growth of the team as more and more games go by. This includes a commitment to the community, so “[he] has his players usually complete some community service sometime during the season.” As long as his players show up with the proper attitude and give effort in everything they do, “[he] promises that they will get some playing time and that with talent they will be a starter. As a whole, he is proud of the boys and the season that they have had so far. He hopes that they will be able to clinch the league title and make their way to CIF.
The varsity captains, Andrew Aguierre-Franco (the starting keeper), Adrian Navarro (starting midfielder), and Julious Perez (starting midfielder), all express their excitement with how the season has gone so far. Believing that “keeping the team together is the most important job of a captain,” Julious explains that since the beginning of the season, they have been doing their best to make the team feel like a family. Adrian has worked hard “to stay consistent with training and games,” knowing that the captains are who other players look to for example. And Andrew seemed excited about their game against Valley View, as it was their chance to take down their rivals and come out on top. “All our practice is sure to pay off,” Andrew assures us.
And hard work doesn’t just show in games. It also comes through in recruiting. Julious Perez has been recruited by Hope International University to play soccer. The recruiting process was long and challenging, but “his trust in his coaches and abilities” is what got him the opportunity to pursue his dream of playing soccer in college. “Everyone around you is there to help and make you stronger,” he explains.
As they wrap up their season, the Poly Boys Soccer team would love for you all to come out and support them at any home game you can. They have an amazing team this year with talent that is sure to get them far. If you are a fan of soccer or just love high school sports, I couldn’t recommend coming out to their games enough. The energy is high every time that they come out on the field. Their next home game is on January 27th against Valley View, and if you want to be there for their Senior Night against Hemet, mark February 4th on your calendar. Go Bears!