By ROY HESS | THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD
In Brownsville, the relationship between club soccer and playing the game at the high school level is a mutually beneficial one.
The most skillful teenaged soccer players tend to be those who participate in the sport year-round, and in that respect, club teams become quite important as the UIL high school season runs only from early January to March or even mid-April for the fortunate squads that qualify for the state tournament in Georgetown.
One of top club programs of the Lower Rio Grande Valley is Brownsville United, which focuses on giving girls an opportunity to play when the high schools are not in season. Other area leagues offer club opportunities to boys.
“Brownsville United was established in 2011 as a recreational league and started playing competitively in 2012,” said Brownsville United president Juan Garcia, whose son and daughter, Juanito and Natalie Garcia, played extensive club soccer and starred at Hanna before graduating within the last five years. “We have our recreational league for ages 4-18. We have a total of 20 teams at the recreational level.
“We have six teams at the middle school level and 10 at the high school level,” Garcia added. “Aside from that, we have six competitive traveling teams.”
Brownsville United’s director of operations is Cipriano Alegria and the league’s secretary is Janie Calvillo.
The goal is to give girls a chance to play throughout the year and help them improve as players to possibly obtain a college scholarship.
“The main objective is to develop players so when they get to high school, they have an opportunity to extend their playing careers to a college level and also for our girls to get to the level of our boys (who regularly send teams to the UIL state tournament),” Garcia said. “The talent is out there. Our responsibility is to provide a place for them to showcase that talent.”
It’s fairly common for the girls who play on Brownsville United squads to encounter their club teammates as opponents playing for other schools during the high school season.
The girls seem to welcome those matchups.
The Brownsville United players who play for Pace include Jill Perez and Jennifer Oliveira.
“Honestly, it’s good because you’ve played with them (as club teammates), so you already know how they play (and what to expect),” said Perez, a sophomore wing for the District 32-5A champion Pace Lady Vikings. “Yes, they’re on the opposing team (for high school games), but after the game we’re friends and we say ‘Hi’ and talk to each other. That’s the best feeling.”
Added Oliveira, a junior goalkeeper for Pace and Brownsville United, “We’re (even more) motivated to win those types of games because everyone wants bragging rights (at Brownsville United practices). We tell them, ‘Don’t even think about beating Pace this year.’ Those games (against our club teammates) are a lot of fun.
“It’s an experience (playing club and high school soccer) that you’ll never forget,” Oliveira added.
Brownsville Veterans Memorial also has a group of Brownsville United players. They include sisters Hannah and Hailey Obregon, Karime Benavides and Camila Trevino.
“My sister and I were the ones who always wanted to play (youth) soccer, but the boys would be rough on us,” said Hannah Obregon, a junior midfielder on the wing for the Lady Chargers. “Juan Garcia is actually our uncle and we were a reason he started Brownsville United. It has helped me grow as a player. I got that experience (of playing on a club team before high school) and I got to break out of my shell.
“Coming here (to Brownsville Veterans), it has helped me a lot because I came with some skills already,” Obregon added. “I get to play with a new set of girls here at high school, bring in my knowledge of the game and play the game I love (for the Lady Chargers as well).”
Added Benavides, a sophomore goalkeeper, “Obviously, we want to win and advance against the other schools (that have Brownsville United players), so we play harder to have bragging rights against them. When we’re not playing against them, we cheer for them and support them because they’re our Brownsville United teammates. It’s an honor to play with them (on our club team).”
Trevino, a freshman forward/midfielder on the wing for the Lady Chargers, appreciates her time with Brownsville United. She went from being a bench player to gaining a starting role with the Lady Chargers and credits that promotion to playing soccer all year long.
“My (club) team has grown so much and has made it to the President’s Cup, which is a really big deal,” Trevino said. “I’ve learned things that have helped me in my high school experience and helped me grow (as a player).
“I’ve learned little techniques (in club ball) that have been beneficial to me,” Trevino added. “If I hadn’t been in Brownsville United, I probably wouldn’t be as good as I am now. I hope I can continue to improve.
“Brownsville United is great. It’s like my second family.”
Brownsville United also has players from Los Fresnos, Rivera, Hanna, Lopez, Athlos Leadership Academy and La Feria.
Rivera coach Peter A. Rodriguez is grateful for the soccer skills his club players bring to their high school team and for the way they work well with those who don’t play club ball. Among the Brownsville United girls who play for the Lady Raiders are Alyssa Ayala and Brigitt Iglesias.
“I think it gives our girls a bit of motivation to play against their club teammates with their school colors (on) and represent us well,” the Lady Raiders coach said. “They’ve been to school together (with some of their club teammates) practically all their lives, so it helps that they create that sense of family attitude when going forth to show their club friends what their school team can do.
“I’m fortunate to have players who come from all different backgrounds,” Rodriguez added. “They stick it out to play soccer, at least for their school, and are still very good at it.”
Roy Hess covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @HessRgehess