WATSONVILLE — In a grassy soccer field at Pinto Lake County Park Tuesday, a team of young soccer players from Watsonville joined two professionals for a workshop on goalkeeping that was described as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
The 14 players from Aztecas Youth Soccer Academy were receiving coaching from retired soccer greats Adolfo Ríos and Brad Friedel, whose visit came in the midst of the CONCACAF World Cup Final. The much-anticipated game takes place Monday at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
Ríos said he hopes to give prospective young soccer players the same life opportunities he received from the game.
“We try to motivate the kids to get better day by day,” he said. “We can give them a chance to be better, on and off the field.”
Friedel said he wants to promote his lifelong sport, which is increasingly being embraced across the U.S.
“It all starts at a lower level,” he said. “If we can inspire one person, it makes all this worthwhile.”
Lakeview Middle School eighth-grader Juliann Mendez said he was “impressed” the players came to Watsonville.
“It’s one thing to see them on TV but to see them face-to-face really means a lot,” he said. “I think it is important that these players come here to Watsonville.”
The Tuesday event included a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the soccer field, which received a donation of bleachers, goals, nets, flags and striping machines thanks to Allstate Insurance Company.
Aztecas Youth Soccer Academy was one of seven groups in the U.S. to receive the donations and visit, said group founder Gina Castañeda.
“I’m still in shock that Aztecas has been chosen,” she said. “It’s an amazing statement, and it’s because of the impact we have on the community.”
Aztecas Soccer Club was created to help keep young people from the draw of criminal street gangs by keeping them busy with games and practices, and giving them academic support.
Castañeda credited the broad range of community support she has received to keep the program running.
“They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes a community to raise a soccer team,” she said.
Santa Cruz County Supervisor Zach Friend said the visit and donations were particularly relevant in Watsonville, which he described as “the center of the soccer universe” in the county.
“It’s a statement of hope and opportunity for all of the young people in Santa Cruz County,” he said.
