Gilroy’s athletes have a passion for sports and will do whatever
is necessary to play the games they love.
By Greg Chapman Staff Writer
Gilroy – Gilroy’s athletes have a passion for sports and will do whatever is necessary to play the games they love.
The annual Gilroy Garlic Festival is a prime example of the dedication that these young kids have, and it also shows their character. Every year athletes from many Gilroy teams and clubs are working the parking lots, the ticket areas, setting up for the event and just working, period.
“Every time you get a chance to fund-raise, you’ve got to take it,” said Jeff Myers, Gilroy High School’s track and field coach. “The Garlic Festival is one of the great opportunities you’ve got to take advantage of.”
Almost everyone in Gilroy gets involved in the biggest event of the year and the kids play their part as well.
“I think it was a pretty fun experience working as a team,” said Armando Hernandez, Gilroy High School boys soccer player.
Working the event was something Hernandez knew he had to do, but it was also something he wanted to do.
The main purpose was to raise money for his team, and to give back to the community for being so good to the GHS boys’ soccer team.
Hernandez, his teammates and many other inspiring soccer players, play the sport year-round. But, monetary needs are always apart of the equation.
“This is critical for the boys to be able to participate in a sport that they have a passion for,” said Brian Hall, GHS assistant boys soccer coach. “It’s basically become a tradition that we look forward to doing.”
GHS girls soccer coach Jose Hernandez knows the situation all too well, being a coordinator the past 10 years and working four years as a student-athlete himself.
Hernandez said he gets a $2,000 dollar coaching stipend every year, but it isn’t enough because on average $7,000 a year is spent on soccer activities.
That makes fund-raising very important. It provides relief to the program and also lets the athletes earn it, something that made Hernandez feel proud when he was a student-athlete because what he got didn’t feel like a handout.
Today athletes like Nery Arteaga, a GHS girls soccer player, are doing the same as those in the past. Arteaga was raising money so she didn’t have to worry about asking her parents (for money), and in the process, she enjoyed herself being around teammates.
“It was a great experience,” Arteaga said. “I got to see some of the girls from the soccer team that I hadn’t seen in a while.”
She said teammates made the day’s fun for each other. They were there for each other, and communicated like in a game.
“It made it more fun,” Arteaga said. “Time went by so fast, I didn’t even know when my shift was over.”
Since this is a historic event, Myers said it makes you proud because you get involved with the city.
He said it’s nice to see people of Gilroy come out and enjoy themselves. And like everybody else involved, he had fun in what has been become somewhat of a tradition.
“It’s a great way to help the city, and a great way to help your team,” Myers said. “So, it’s good all the way around.”
