BY GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
HIDALGO — During a tournament in the summer of 2013, Valley View’s Rafael Garcia was pushed in midair and landed awkwardly. When he learned he had suffered an LCL tear and would miss the entire 2014 season, he said he was “crying like a little baby.”
“I was sad, because I really wanted to play soccer,” Garcia said through an interpreter. “I knew I was going to have to wait one more year.”
The wait was long. It included surgery, rehab and time getting comfortable on the field again. He said he expected to need a few games to get back to 100 percent, but he scored five goals during his first weekend back. By the end of the season, he ran that tally up to 28 — including a District 31-5A-best 13.
Garcia proved a key cog for a Valley View team that went 10-2 during the district season, earning him RGVSports.com All-Valley Newcomer of the Year honors.
“I’m thrilled,” Garcia said. “I didn’t expect this.”
Valley View coach Damian Magallan knew Garcia could be a special player. Had Garcia been along for the ride, Magallan believes the Tigers would have won the state title in 2014. Instead, the group fell just shy, dropping the Class 4A state final 2-1 to Northwest Byron Nelson.
“I’m almost sure that with him on the roster, we probably would have won the first championship for Valley View,” Magallan said through an interpreter.
Although Garcia couldn’t participate in the historic run, Magallan saw him continue to work hard. Magallan knew Garcia would show what type of player he is, and he was confident enough to make Garcia one of the team’s captains.
“I knew he was going to come back strong, because he’s a kid that works very hard in everything,” Magallan said. “I didn’t have any doubts.”
Garcia thinks of himself as a defensive player. That’s the position he started playing as a child, and he’s always been told he’s good at it.
But Magallan didn’t need him as a defender. After graduating many crucial pieces from the team that advanced to the state title game, Magallan needed another scorer.
So Garcia moved up to mid and even forward, playing defense only when Valley View lost a player to red card.
“He could even probably play goalie if we needed him to,” Magallan said. “He’s that type of player. His strength is his mentality. He played with his brain more than anything else.”
“I give everything I have,” Garcia said. “I know that I put my heart and my brain, and I work. Wherever I’m going to be needed, I’ll play there.”
Garcia has a strong leg, and his shot is the biggest key to his scoring. He can hit the ball with power and curve it however he needs to. When Valley View earned a free kick, Garcia was usually the one to take it.
After missing out on what could have been a momentous 2014, Garcia made up for lost time all over the field.
“I knew it was a good team I was going to be a part of last year, but I knew I was going to come back strong, and I did,” Garcia said. “I was happy that I was able to go out there and play again, and able to play the way I could play.”