Santa Cruz native and local professional soccer star Walmer Martinez paid a special visit to Watsonville on Thursday morning to hang out with some potential talent of the future.
The Monterey Bay F.C. midfielder/forward spoke to a group of children who attended the annual Aztecas Youth Soccer Academy Program summer camp at Freedom Elementary School on July 18.
“It’s amazing to see the community out here, the resources and all the coaches that are providing the knowledge these kids need to be a good human being,” Martinez said. “These skills they are being provided, the technical training, physical training is amazing. I mean, I’ve been here for 10 minutes and I can feel it — it’s exciting.”
Mateo Sepulveda, 8, said he just signed up for the camp this summer.
“I’m glad to be here,” he said. “There are good coaches here.
Martinez, 25, said these types of youth academies are what it takes to help children get to the next level, and move upwards into careers and education.
“When I was growing up you would see good talented players once in a while, but now you see them everywhere,” he said. “There is so much talent in this area.”
The former Soquel High, Cabrillo College and California State University Monterey Bay standout went on to tell the crowd how he grew up with a single mom and didn’t know his father.
“We were poor and there weren’t a lot of resources…But hard work really pays off,” Martinez said. “I worked hard and I got good grades, and you need discipline.”
Also in attendance was Watsonville native Hugo Vargas-Rios, a Pajaro Valley High alum and Martinez’s former teammate at CSUMB.
“I’ve known him since I was 12,” Vargas-Rios said. “We were in the same academy. He’s amazing and he cares about giving back and helping others.”
According to a press release issued by the Aztecas, “The camp is a great opportunity for youth between the ages of 6-14 to learn soccer skills and make new friends.
“Soccer camp participants practice and play soccer under the guidance of Aztecas Camp college trainers who are top-level, competitive players and local high school all-stars. Campers are also taught about healthy lifestyles, sportsmanship, and teamwork during fun, intensive practices and games.”
The camp is led by Santa Cruz County Probation Officer and Aptos High girls’ soccer head coach Gina Castañeda.
Aptos incoming senior Anahi Macias—a team captain on the Mariners’ girls’ soccer team—has been a camp coach with the Aztecas for the past two years.
“It’s pretty cool that Walmer came out here today,” Macias said. “It definitely is a good way to motivate these people to work hard every day. These are crazy good athletes and all of us can learn something from them here today.”
*additional reporting by sports editor Juan Reyes
