GREG LUCA | STAFF WRITER
PROGRESO — Progreso coach Margarito Jimenez was teaching at the school for six years before it ever fielded a soccer team. When he finally got one off the ground in 1998, he faced a severe lack of roster numbers typical of any first-year program.
Training camp would start with about 20 players, and by the end of the six-week preseason he’d be left with maybe a dozen.
“It was a struggle,” Jimenez said. “Barely enough to field a team.”
One of those players was Antonio Costante, then a junior goalie and now a third-year assistant coach.
Looking back, Costante said he never imagined that Jimenez would be able to bring the Red Ants program as far as he has. At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Progreso will play in its first state tournament, taking on Argyle in Georgetown.
“At that time, it was just dreams,” Costante said. “It was just a dream to play in a big tournament. Now, the kids go out and play in the Boerne Tournament with 5A schools. And not just play, but give them competition. That’s something I never thought of.”
Costante remembers entering a program with Jimenez as the only coach and playing alongside a group of students who were mostly interested in having fun and imitating their favorite professional players.
As the program started to have some success and show promise, more and more players grew interested in taking part.
“You build it through being honest with the kids,” Jimenez said. “Being there every single day, through thick and thin. Good seasons and bad seasons. We’re now seeing the results of the good seeds that we planted a few years ago.”
Before 2015, Progreso endured more bad seasons than good. Because of the way the UIL classified soccer programs, Progreso competed against much larger schools. From 2009-14, the Red Ants were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs four times by teams that are now ranked a classification above Progreso, in 5A. Progreso failed to even make the playoffs the other two seasons, trapped behind bigger, stronger programs including Valley View, Weslaco East and PSJA Southwest.
“We had some down years, because we were playing against the bigger schools,” Jimenez said. “Now that we are playing at the same level, I think we can play with anybody around the state.”
All the while, Jimenez continued to preach an attacking style out of a 4-4-2 formation. Costante still recognizes it now, although he sees that Jimenez has evolved to start utilizing new drills, stealing strategies from professional teams or even taking feedback from his players.
Progreso’s two captains, Juan Puentes and Rogelio Zamora, credit Jimenez for their development. Zamora noted that Jimenez played soccer in college, a path he hopes to follow.
“He’s taught us really good things. A lot of experiences that help us on the field and in life,” Zamora said. “He always tells us that if we have a goal, we have to take it step by step. In the beginning of the season, we weren’t going to rush to state. Our goal was district, and step by step, that has worked for us.”
Added Puentes: “Our coach is amazing. He’s shown me a lot of things. He’s the one that started showing me leadership.”
Jimenez has also pushed many of the right buttons on the field. He moved Puentes from midfielder to stopper and Zamora from forward to midfielder during the playoffs, helping the Red Ants reach their peak as a team. He’s also seen dividends from Fabrizzio Gonzalez’s late-season call-up from junior varsity, as the sophomore scored twice in the regional semifinals.
“I’m very proud of the kids that we have, and this means that we’re doing something right,” Jimenez said.
Formerly an ESL teacher and cross country coach at Progreso, Jimenez took on the role of athletics director three years ago. He said he’s enjoyed the new position, even as it keeps him busy following every team on campus.
His first love and focus has always been soccer, and this week he faces the challenge of preparing the Red Ants for a bigger, stronger, faster Argyle team. He exposed his players to those types of opponents with a preseason tournament in Boerne, so this week is all about jogging their memory.
“Mentally, you have to prepare the kids better,” Jimenez said. “Even though we went to this tournament, we did not see that in the Valley. But I think mentally, they’ll be ready to score.”
Progreso coach Jimenez built state-qualifying soccer program from scratch over 18 years
BY GREG LUCA
STAFF WRITER
PROGRESO — Progreso coach Margarito Jimenez was teaching at the school for six years before it ever fielded a soccer team. When he finally got one off the ground in 1998, he faced a severe lack of roster numbers typical of any first-year program.
Training camp would start with about 20 players, and by the end of the six-week preseason he’d be left with maybe a dozen.
“It was a struggle,” Jimenez said. “Barely enough to field a team.”
One of those players was Antonio Costante, then a junior goalie and now a third-year assistant coach.
Looking back, Costante said he never imagined that Jimenez would be able to bring the Red Ants program as far as he has. At 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Progreso will play in its first state tournament, taking on Argyle in Georgetown.
“At that time, it was just dreams,” Costante said. “It was just a dream to play in a big tournament. Now, the kids go out and play in the Boerne Tournament with 5A schools. And not just play, but give them competition. That’s something I never thought of.”
Costante remembers entering a program with Jimenez as the only coach and playing alongside a group of students who were mostly interested in having fun and imitating their favorite professional players.
As the program started to have some success and show promise, more and more players grew interested in taking part.
“You build it through being honest with the kids,” Jimenez said. “Being there every single day, through thick and thin. Good seasons and bad seasons. We’re now seeing the results of the good seeds that we planted a few years ago.”
Before 2015, Progreso endured more bad seasons than good. Because of the way the UIL classified soccer programs, Progreso competed against much larger schools. From 2009-14, the Red Ants were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs four times by teams that are now ranked a classification above Progreso, in 5A. Progreso failed to even make the playoffs the other two seasons, trapped behind bigger, stronger programs including Valley View, Weslaco East and PSJA Southwest.
“We had some down years, because we were playing against the bigger schools,” Jimenez said. “Now that we are playing at the same level, I think we can play with anybody around the state.”
All the while, Jimenez continued to preach an attacking style out of a 4-4-2 formation. Costante still recognizes it now, although he sees that Jimenez has evolved to start utilizing new drills, stealing strategies from professional teams or even taking feedback from his players.
Progreso’s two captains, Juan Puentes and Rogelio Zamora, credit Jimenez for their development. Zamora noted that Jimenez played soccer in college, a path he hopes to follow.
“He’s taught us really good things. A lot of experiences that help us on the field and in life,” Zamora said. “He always tells us that if we have a goal, we have to take it step by step. In the beginning of the season, we weren’t going to rush to state. Our goal was district, and step by step, that has worked for us.”
Added Puentes: “Our coach is amazing. He’s shown me a lot of things. He’s the one that started showing me leadership.”
Jimenez has also pushed many of the right buttons on the field. He moved Puentes from midfielder to stopper and Zamora from forward to midfielder during the playoffs, helping the Red Ants reach their peak as a team. He’s also seen dividends from Fabrizzio Gonzalez’s late-season call-up from junior varsity, as the sophomore scored twice in the regional semifinals.
“I’m very proud of the kids that we have, and this means that we’re doing something right,” Jimenez said.
Formerly an ESL teacher and cross country coach at Progreso, Jimenez took on the role of athletics director three years ago. He said he’s enjoyed the new position, even as it keeps him busy following every team on campus.
His first love and focus has always been soccer, and this week he faces the challenge of preparing the Red Ants for a bigger, stronger, faster Argyle team. He exposed his players to those types of opponents with a preseason tournament in Boerne, so this week is all about jogging their memory.
“Mentally, you have to prepare the kids better,” Jimenez said. “Even though we went to this tournament, we did not see that in the Valley. But I think mentally, they’ll be ready to score.”