Rob McIntyre
The Glendale Community College men's soccer team was the favorite
to win the Western State Conference last year, but the Vaqueros came
up short, and Coach Joe Agoston knows exactly why.
"The conference was ours to lose, and we lost it because of our
attitude," Agoston said.
GCC still finished with a respectable record of 12-7-1 and 4-5-1
in conference play for third place. But Agoston hopes that not only
will this year's team bring a better attitude to the field, but that
he will have some much-needed depth.
"Last year, we had several good, individual players, but we just
never seemed to mold into a solid team," Agoston said.
In order to be successful this season, the Vaqueros need to bring
a winning attitude and not give up, Agoston said.
One way Agoston intends to instill that competitive edge is to
make all positions open.
"There is no seniority," he said. "The returning players must earn
their spots, just like the newcomers. That's how you get the best 11
guys."
Some of the key returning players this year include: Humberto
Gutierrez (goalkeeper), Ivan Martinez (defender), Ariosto Martinez
(forward), Antonio Tapia (defender), James Chaisson (midfielder), and
Carlos Herrera-Paz (defender/midfielder).
Ivan Martinez played two years ago with the Vaqueros, but was
injured last year. Ivan and his brother, Ariosto, are graduates of
Verdugo Hills High. All the other returners are from last year's
team.
There are also some talented newcomers vying for starting spots.
They are: Kenny Paredes (goalkeeper), Mario Flores (midfielder),
Javier Perez (defender), Jonathan Uribe (defender/midfielder), and
Jorgen Goodman (midfielder).
These are only some of the athletes that Agoston has on his roster
for the upcoming season. Overall, GCC has potential, and if it stays
healthy, it could have a good season.
However, one weakness might be its ability to win on the road. The
Vaqueros struggled last year, and they will be tested right off the
bat, as five of their first six games are on the road.
But in the meantime, Agoston will continue to run his team through
some intense fitness and conditioning this week in practice to
prepare for its first game, which is at 5 p.m. Tuesday at El Camino
College.
The squad hasn't really worked on any team drills yet, Agoston
said. The first week of practice has been more about conditioning.
