Sports & Recreation FEBRUARY 17, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS
@AhwatukeeFN |
@AhwatukeeFN
SPORTS
33
Check us out and like the Ahwatukee Foothills News on Facebook
www.ahwatukee.com
Ahwatukee youth soccer team excelling on the �ield BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor
T
here was a point in time where Danny Garcia thought he wouldn’t be able to �ield a team for the club soccer season. After AYSO United AZCV 2009’s previous coach departed for a job out of state, a handful of players left the program. One parent stepped up to �ill the coaching vacancy but quickly was overcome with other obligations for work. So, Garcia stepped up to the challenge of �illing his roster of 10- and 11-year-old players in a limited amount of time. “I came in volunteering as an assistant coach but then I applied to be the head coach and United put me in there,” Garcia said. “I was happy to do it. I played club soccer coming up and in college, so it was a good �it.” He and his other two coaches, Seanin Kelly – who played football for Arizona State – and Stuart Russell, who are all volunteers, recruited players and parents from AYSO 1046, a local recreational league team in Ahwatukee and the surrounding areas. The change in environment from rec league to club was something most players had never experienced. The level of competition grew signi�icantly. The overall speed of the game increased, too. But every player bought in to Garcia and his coaching staff and showed strong work ethic in preparation for the club season. That preparation has begun to pay off, as United AZCV has placed �irst overall in two recent tournaments at the Open League and was one win away from competing for a championship in a third tournament. “I thought the season was going to get canceled,” Garcia said. “There were also some concerns based on what they saw with other clubs being too cutthroat. Skills training is more important than winning
The AYSO United AZCV soccer club in Ahwatukee has been demonstrating excellence in tournament play this year. (Courtesy Danny Garcia) games. We made a promise to not be cut- by the city. The team then had to move throat and I would have to say it worked.” to a �ield near the wash in Ahwatukee where there were no As is the case with other lights, which created a Ahwatukee or Phoenixdif�icult environment bebased youth programs, cause of Arizona’s soarpreparing for a season ing temperatures into Occame with additional chaltober last year. lenges due to the pandemNonetheless, United ic. AZCV guided its way The team had initially through the adversity targeted Pecos Park in Ahfaced early on and evenwatukee as its home locatually secured a �ield in tion. But that was quickly Tempe where guidelines changed when the City of were slightly less strenuPhoenix closed all parks ous. Masks, however, redue to rising COVID-19 AYSO United AZCV 2009 coach main part of the team’s metrics last fall. They then Danny Garcia stepped up to moved to Vista Canyon lead the team after it was left practices. “The beginning was rePark near Desert Vista, without a coach and roster where they were faced not large enough to field a ally rough,” Garcia said. “In with guidelines that in- team ahead of the club season. 110 degrees we are always worried about the kids. I cluded masks being worn (Courtesy Danny Garcia) would cancel practice if it at all times and a limited hit 110. We tried to �it in time, so we didn’t number of participants on one �ield. Shortly after, that park was also closed lose daylight. We all kind of look back on
Have an interesting sports story?
Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@timespublications.com and follow him on Twitter @ZachAlvira.
that and are thankful we don’t have to deal with that anymore. And, I think the players also appreciate it.” Despite many players having never played at the club level before, they’ve all risen to the occasion. The team took �irst place in the 2021 North Scottsdale Sand Shark Invitational, hosted by a club team in Scottsdale on Jan. 23-24. The team went 2-1 in the tournament overall to secure �irst place. On Feb. 5-7, United AZCV went undefeated in the 2021 Desert Classic, only conceding one goal in three games thanks to goalkeeper Cameron Anderson. Garcia said the team plans to play at least two more tournaments between now and May before ending the season for the summer. “I’m a big proponent of the tournaments because you get two or three games in one weekend,” Garcia said. “The parents agreed to do two more because we have to pay out of pocket for those. I know a lot of parents wanted to play in the Yavapai Cup in Prescott to get out of town.” As rewarding as tournament wins are for Garcia, he appreciates the opportunity to coach and spend quality time with his stepson, Jadan Pousson. The bond between the two has grown to new heights since he took over as coach, and they relish the success they have been able to obtain as part of the same organization. While he didn’t initially plan to make coaching a long-term deal, he now sees it as a rewarding experience and plans to continue leading United AZCV to success in tournaments to come. “These kids needed something,” Garcia said. “My family is doing everything we can to stay safe, but my perspective was that it’s outdoors and the kids still wear masks in practice and some in games. We wanted to give them something to do and it takes away a lot of stress for them. “We are really happy.”