GHS boys soccer invited to national tournament in Tampa
GILROY – Being considered one of the top 32 high school soccer programs in the nation has given the Gilroy High boys varsity team a chance of a lifetime with its recent selection to compete in the Admiral Soccer Invitational.
“It was a nice surprise,” said Coach Brian Hall of the Mustangs’ invite into the 11th annual national tournament held in Tampa, Florida. “It’s really the elite of the elite and to be one of the top 32 high schools is really representative of the effort that the boys put out to make this happen.”
Gilroy was one of only two California schools to get invited along with the only team to beat them last season in Watsonville High, the reigning Central Coast Section Champions. Twenty of the 32 teams are from Florida, leaving only 12 out-of-state spots.
“I didn’t believe it. I knew about (the tournament), but I never thought we’d get invited,” said sophomore Alfonso Motagalvan, a first-team All-League midfielder and one of two captains for the Mustangs. “It would mean a lot to me and it would bring a lot of recognition to the high school.”
Last year’s competition brought out 50 college coaches, who were all scouting out future prospects for their respective teams. For the first time ever, Gilroy High players would be able to showcase their skills.
“It is big-time for us and big-time for the community,” said junior sweeper Artemio Arteaga, the team’s defensive captain. “It’s putting Gilroy on the map, not just as a soccer team but as a high school and community,”
The Mustangs earned the respect of the section by finishing with a 21-1-5 overall record last season, which included an undefeated run into the CCS Championship game. Gilroy was ranked No. 2 in the CCS rankings behind only Watsonville and was also ranked as high as No. 7 in the Western Region by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Still, not even head coach Armando Padilla could have expected such national notice until he received a letter in the mail, inviting the Mustangs to the elite competition.
“It was an incredible feeling when I got the letter and read it,” said Padilla, who heard of the tournament since Bellarmine Prep won it in 2002. “My first response was I better call Brian (Hall). My second instinct was to let the kids know so we called a team meeting. The last thing I thought was how are we going to afford to fly 20 kids to Florida.”
Padilla estimates the team must raise $20,000 (about $900 per player), so 18-20 players can make the trip to Tampa for the Dec. 17-23 tournament. Each player was asked to put down a $200 deposit to secure a spot, but even that has been hard to come by for most of the Gilroy High players.
“I think for the boys it’s a great opportunity to obviously experience the level of play and be exposed to a national pool and coming out of Gilroy, nobody thought we would have this opportunity,” said Alex Thomas, father of starting fullback Arron Thomas. “I’m good for half the money at least.”
Although nearly every player has the emotional support of their families, they do not have the monetary means to finance the trip without some help from the community they represent.
“For each kid to come up with $800 is difficult, let alone $200. Hopefully, some business will recognize what the guys have accomplished and what it would mean to the community,” Hall said. “They signed a contract at the beginning of the season and fulfilled everything that was on it not only on the field but in the classroom and as citizens of this community.”
Before the Mustangs’ storybook run even got started, they created a banner-sized contract of goals and expectations for the upcoming season. Each player signed it and did their best to hold true to what was written on it. Their desire and dedication to be the best is what carried them all the way to the section finals. That same effort will be needed to send them to Florida.
“I’ll do whatever it takes, just tell me what I have to do. You can always count on me,” Motagalvan said. “We’re a long ways to fulfilling it, but it’s like they say, ‘You can do anything as long as you put your mind to it.'”
Team members met Tuesday at Chevy’s restaurant to start organizing a fundraising strategy. Any interested parties wanting to help fund Gilroy’s national pass, should contact Coach Armando Padilla at 846-1756 or e-mail him at mr****@ho*****.com.
“I hope some company or individual has a passion for soccer like Coach Padilla and I and the guys on this team and wants to make this a reality,” Hall said. “And if there is something these guys can do to help earn it, I know we can get the guys to step up and do that.”
The team only has six months to reach its goal and put themselves in the national spotlight.
“Nobody knows Gilroy and now they can take notice that we have good players and good coaches here. Now they know that,” Arteaga said. “It’s going to be really tough. I don’t know if we can do it. … We’ll take anything. If you want to donate any amount, we’ll take it.”
It remains a long shot for the Mustangs to go, but they were underdogs all season long and that did not stop them from developing into one of the best programs in the nation.
“I was just excited to be selected to go,” Arron Thomas said. “Now I’m excited to go. I really want to go.”
