First bottom row, left to right: Ryan Fierle, Abraham Lopez-Espinoza, Junior Arellano, Carlos Reyes Jr., Raul Tinoco, Dalton Seckinger, John Crawley Second row, left to right: Cole Williams, Martin Ilarionov, Alonzo (Zo) Millsap, Luke Biasi, Jonathan Hernandez, Jonathan Rushton, Josh Elizalde, Eoin Griffiths, Thair Britton, Antonio Donate, Andres Perez, Coach Gaucho(Gaucho Pinho), Auston Rodriguez

COACH GAUCHO PINHO’S 99B PREMIER TEAM SETS A GOAL that in addition to soccer technique and skills, grades are an EVERY year: To win championships. And how do they plan that? important part of getting scholarships to college. Our motto is: “Before each game, we ask: What’s our goal today? To win. How ‘Skills for soccer. Skills for life.’ ” The 99B Premier are one of the top are we going to do that? What’s our strategy? How do we adjust teams in the country. According to the coach, the UFA U18B Premier to beat them? You always must respect the other team and then have won three State Cups in four years (U13, U14 and U16), and play your best and beat them,” Coach Gaucho says. While winning two Regional Championships (U13 and U14). They qualified for is obviously important, it isn’t the sole goal for the team. “The club Regionals five times in a row, and qualified for Nationals four times mission is to develop a player to move on to the next team; he’s in a row. They took third place at Nationals at U13, the National developing to go to college or go pro,” Gaucho says. “We emphasize Championship at U14 (undefeated), and third place at Nationals

at U15. At U16, they took third place at Nationals once again. They a very technical team and the coach’s main goal is develop the won the Fall Super Premier League in 2015 and 2016. U18 is players to play college and eventually at the professional level. already qualified for regionals for the fifth year in a row. If they win, “This is a very good group; they like each other. Help each other if they quality for nationals (which also would be the fifth in a row). they’re struggling, encourage each other. Gaucho has 19 players When asked about the team’s dynamic, the coach said: “We’re and must have 18 on his roster. Each game, one player does not trying to play the beautiful game, get everybody involved, give get to play. “They don’t want to lose that spot in the game because everyone possession; you make the other team run more. We train that may be the one shot where a recruiter sees them play and they to keep the ball more, possess, to get everyone involved. We keep end up earning a college scholarship, Gaucho says. “Recruiting is the pressure on. Our team is always well fit.” As the GK coach, very important when we travel to tournaments, where players will