September 9, 2024 • 47 mins
Join us for an engaging episode as we welcome 1st year Varsity Soccer Coach Tyler Robinson and senior captain Andrew Merlam Salazar. Tyler shares his intriguing journey on becoming the Panthers head coach, and Zar opens up about balancing his life on and off the field, including the birth of his new baby sister. Tune in for a lively discussion filled with optimism, resilience, and pop culture nods to "Ted Lasso”.
Get insights into the importance of community service, team-building activities, and the significant role family plays in the broader sports narrative. We also highlight the transformation of players like Cris Mora, who evolved from a struggling student to a team leader, embodying the holistic approach to success that Tyler and Andrew champion.
This episode was recorded on August 31, 2024.
Podcasts now dropping at 5pm every Sunday evening for that late weekend chill, or listen Monday AM during that morning commute or workout. Please like, follow, subscribe, or leave a review. Even share with someone who might like to listen. Thanks for taking the time to get to know each other a little bit better. The people who make West Ottawa Athletics what it is. Go WO!
Special thanks to Laura Veldhof Photography.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
especially since it's my senior year.
I want to see them grow andbecome better players and I want
to see them.
If we don't win states thisyear or conference, hopefully
they'll win it next year.
I want them to win something.
West Ottawa hasn't wonsomething for soccer in a very,
very long time, so maybe thisyear will be the year, hopefully
, but if not, I want next yearto be pretty strong.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Hey everybody, this is Rodney Valinga with the West
Ottawa High School AthleticProgram and you're listening to
the 29.1 podcast.
29 sports, one team, the showthat brings you into the lives
of student-athletes, coaches andother faces in the Panther
sports community, bringing youthe stories you might otherwise
never hear.
Join myself and AthleticDirector Bill Kennedy as we dive
(00:49):
in with you to get to know eachother a little bit better.
Hey everybody, welcome back toanother episode of the 29.1.
I'm Rodney Velinga, your host,and I'm here with Panther
Athletic Director Bill Kennedy.
Meeting new people and gettingto know more people in our
community is one of the goals ofthis program and, bill, that's
(01:12):
exactly what we're doing today.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yes, sir, today we are joined by first year soccer
coach Tyler Robinson.
Tyler comes to West auto after20 years at Hamilton.
He and his wife Lauren havemade North Holland their home
and we could not be more excitedto have their family join the
Panther Athletic community.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, we also talked with senior captain Andrew
Merlem Salazar, aka Zar, anincredibly broad-shouldered
force of positivity and skillwho is making his impact felt on
and off the field.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Tyler Robinson, andrew Merlem Salazar.
Coming up next on the 29 one,let's go.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
All right.
Well, hey everybody, we areback here at the 29 one.
We are moving on and we justkeep on rocking, meeting some
really wonderful people here atwest ottawa.
We hope you're enjoyinglistening, and we got a really I
will call it a fresh podcasttoday.
We got some new people in hereand, bill, we got two people in
here today.
It's gonna be fun, uh who is it?
Speaker 4 (02:18):
I'm andrew merlum.
I'm coach tyler robinson.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, we're really excited to sit down with Tyler
Robinson, new head varsitysoccer coach.
Senior captain Andrew MerlamSalazar, aka czar.
All right, I really appreciateyou guys coming in.
I know you got training latertoday.
I won't call it practice, it'straining.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
right, that's soccer lingo.
Yeah, we're on the pitch.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
We're on the pitch.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
We're on the pitch.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
That's right.
We got training, we got asession, a session, a little
session coming up later today.
So appreciate you guys makingtime.
Absolutely Thanks for having us.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
What was the one show on Apple?
Again, that's all the.
What was that show?
That was super hot.
A couple years ago.
Ted Lasso, ted Lasso, of course, so super fun.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
That was all the rage in our opening PD day, like our
admin was Ted Lasso clips andBelieve is the theme of the
entire school year.
We all have Believe pictures upin our classrooms.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Every classroom From Ted Lasso.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Yeah, that's a great show.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
And the truth is is the coaching was pretty darn
good, like just the headspacecoaching, right.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
Yeah, just teaching themspace, coaching, correct,
right?
Yeah, just teaching them andcoaching them every day just to
be good dudes, which is what wetry to do.
And and the dominoes fall whenyou're just, you're playing for
each other and you're, you'reyeah, you're in right headspace
and supporting each other and,of course, belief and uh, that's
just a feel good, feel goodshow.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
You watch it, yeah yeah, I watched it sometimes.
Sometimes, not just our schoolhas the belief.
Even when we went to Granville,they had it all over their
locker room, yep.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
I'm sure everyone's having that same pregame speech
before you head out.
Andrew, you are a Senior Senior, you're a senior here at West
Ottawa and you are a big brotheragain.
Yeah, I talked to your mom.
I believe it was two days ago.
Today's yeah, so it was twodays ago.
You have a new baby in yourfamily can talk about that just
for a second.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, so I got a new sister um, she was born on
monday.
Her name I picked her nameactually really her name is
elena nadalia, um salazar, sothat's her name.
Wow, that's nice, that's reallycool.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
That's really cool.
Your mom is.
Mom was able to talk to her.
She's very, very gracious, yeah, after just having a baby.
We were just talking about this.
It was like so recent.
I didn't know when I talked toher, but she was very nice and
gracious.
How is the sleeping going athome?
Speaker 1 (04:37):
It's all right.
She does cry a lot.
She's got like the night mixedup with the day, I guess, so she
doesn't cry during the day, butshe cries at night like crazy.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Babies will tend to do that, won't they?
You go, your name is Andrew andI'm not sure what I'm supposed
to call you, because I know thatis not common for people to
call you Andrew, maybe a teacheror if you get in trouble with
somebody.
But you go by Zar, correct?
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Yeah, well, that's like my, like soccer name.
I guess that's what they gaveme that's just your soccer
nickname.
Yeah, so like um.
So it kind of went around.
It started like um.
When I first joined varsitylast year um, so everyone would
get a nickname um and mine,since my last name is salazar,
so they would just call me shortfor czar.
So like everyone just startedcalling me that and then it just
took that.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
That's pretty good.
Yeah, I mean, if you ever wantto go into the evil villain
superhero category in yourfuture life czar.
Yeah, I mean deep voice czar,exactly, czar.
We might.
Let's just do that the rest ofthe way.
So that's pretty fun.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yeah, and then, tyler , getting to know you a little
bit and coming new to the WestOttawa community, new in, I
guess, some ways, in that youknow your wife has been here for
a couple of years now.
What's it like, that transition, kind of getting in the
classroom here now and reallybeing all in at West Ottawa?
Speaker 4 (05:55):
It's been amazing, you know, having lived in the
vicinity and now living in thecommunity, we've been immersed
into it, you know indirectly.
So to be a part of the WestOttawa culture officially has
been amazing.
And just to have my wife comehome the last couple of years
and just give story upon storyupon story of a supportive staff
(06:15):
and awesome students andsuccess stories but challenges
alike made me excited to youknow.
Finally be on board, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
And you've been at a couple of great communities
already.
You were been at Hamilton andthen you've also been, you also
coached at Hope.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Correct.
Yeah yeah, Hamilton, 20 years.
Uh, as an English teacher, uh,varsity girls and boys coach a
little bit of JV, coach a littlebit of basketball there too.
And uh, yeah, Hope college.
It's my wife's alma mater.
Um, Got to coach under a greatcoach, Coach Brandt, Coach Dave
Brandt there for four years,from 2018 to 2022.
So that experience wasdefinitely formative.
(06:52):
Learned a lot of stuff fromwhat will be a Hall of Fame
Division III coach.
So, yeah, great, greatsupportive community Trained me
for this for sure.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Zar, when you are.
Can I call you Zar?
Yeah, go ahead.
We're in the soccer environment.
We're of a community trained mefor this, for sure, yeah, czar
when you are.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Can I call you czar?
We go, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
We're in the soccer environment.
We're going to go with czar.
What is it like uh ben, for youearly.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
What are a couple things as a student athlete that
stand out about this guy to youso like I, like how he puts
like classroom first, like he'smaking us um be more prepared
like for the real world, because, like um, he has rules.
Well, like they're not rules, Iguess, like they're kind of are
, but I like them, becauseexpectations there we go, there
we go expectations that he hasfor us yeah, like because, like,
(07:32):
for example, like if you'relate, well, he says, if you're,
if you're on time, you're latestill.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
So you always want to be on time, like um earlier
than you're expected to czar,your season's kind of gotten off
to a little bit of a slow start, but then come in the other
night, make immediate impact inthat second half against
Granville, talk a little bitabout what you've been going
through early in the season andthen, as you kind of get ramped
up and ready to really make moreof a roll, so I guess the first
(08:01):
practice.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
I didn't want to injure my teammate so I tried
slide tackling and my ankle justgot caught.
Really bad.
I sprained my ankle and myAchilles a little minor,
starting back up.
Hopefully I'll get back intogetting the minutes again and
making a big difference for theteam this year.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Yeah, just got to get that fitness up, yeah fitness
is key.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Coach, this is a little different for us because
we're trying to get to know you.
Can, key, coach, this is alittle bit of a little different
for us because we're trying toget to know you.
Can you just give us a littlebackground?
I know you played uh football,uh soccer at michigan state back
in the early 2000s.
You were a keeper.
Can you just briefly tell usabout that experience for you?
Speaker 4 (08:39):
yeah, for sure.
So growing up in lansing,michigan, uh, those, those are
my formative years.
Uh, k through 12, lansingWaverly was my high school.
Uh, the good thing about thatis, um, I'm a proponent of
multi-sports and I was a threesport guy.
There we go.
I actually played football myfreshman year.
Uh, did you know that.
Sorry, yeah, yeah, um, and wentback to, uh, organized soccer,
(09:01):
um, and on the soccer field, Iwasn't a goalkeeper until my
sophomore year, so I hadexperience as a holding mid,
just like yous are, yeah, and,and didn't really convert until
that was the soccer term, by theway, holding mid yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
So defensive got glassy eyed there, that's okay.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Defensive center midfielder, I'd playing in the
middle of the field, but moredefensively, some more, yeah,
back towards our net.
So I had experience as a fieldplayer and then as a goalkeeper,
so it's kind of a holisticexperience that I think helps me
as a coach.
So, uh, it was late in the game.
Um, my senior year that I gotstarted started to get recruited
by Michigan State as a.
They just wanted a dependable,solid backup goalkeeper at the
(09:37):
time.
And just being across town, um,I was a lacrosse player at the
time my girlfriend at the timewas taking so follow me here my
girlfriend at the time wastaking a coaching soccer class
with Michigan State's coach.
She was a year ahead of me, shewas at Michigan State and she
mentioned to Coach Baum, who'sHall of Fame coach at MSU.
Hey, I got a boyfriend who's apretty good keeper.
(10:00):
You should look at him.
He's in his lacrosse seasonright now, but he was a pretty
good keeper.
You should look at him.
He's in his lacrosse seasonright now, but you should go
check him out.
And Coach Baum wasn't happy withhis backup goalkeepers at the
time.
So he came actually to alacrosse game of mine in the
spring of my senior year andjust watched me play and was
interested in at least talkingto me, set up a tryout with me
on Michigan State's campus towork with a former Big Ten, all
(10:24):
Big Ten goalkeeper for MSU andhe just ran me through the
ringer for like two straighthours of a tryout, just like
killed me basically, and Iimpressed him enough, I guess,
and so I was a recruited walk-onso I was guaranteed a spot on
the team, but I had to earn.
I ended up earning somescholarship money and working my
way up the goalkeeping ladderred shirt of my first year and
(10:47):
didn't really play much my nextyear, but just worked my way up
the ladder and by the time I wasa upperclassman.
Um was a starter and hadsuccess helping lead the team.
So it's what I tell the guys tolike.
I've been in your situation,whatever your role is on the
team.
I've been, uh I've I've sat anentire season as a red shirt
(11:08):
freshman.
I know what it's like to justgo to practice and not even have
a chance to play and the onlything you can do is stay
supportive, keep working hardand things and keep asking for
feedback and keep askingquestions and things will go
well eventually for you, um,I've been injured, um, I've been
a partial start.
I've lost my starting spot, uh,by my roommate who is also my
(11:29):
best friend.
He like, wow, yeah, he jumpedover me and we had to go home
and eat every, every nighttogether and it's like the only
thing you can do at that point.
I mean, you can be frustrated,but not outwardly.
It's what can you personally doto get better and help the team
at the same time?
And so those are some of thelessons.
They've they've hopefully beenhearing me, me um, teach, uh,
(11:49):
and so, um, I loved my time atMichigan state.
I grew up in their backyard, myparents went there, so it was a
dream school for me and I hadan all around great time, and I
think it helped me become, um,the coach here, I really think
it did.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Zara, what's that like for you to have a coach
that you can kind of, you canask those questions, no matter
really what you're going through?
Right you've got a guy that'sgot some experience to bring to
the table and give you someperspective yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
So like I feel like that's like a big game changer
because like how he played atmsu like that's my kind of dream
school, that's where I want togo play soccer.
So I feel like that like helpsus a little bit.
Like um get connections.
I feel like he has connectionsat msu, so like I feel like he
could kind of help us out likeif we want to go to msu and like
stuff like that, I feel likethat's really good because
especially he has experience asa d1 player, so I feel like
(12:35):
that'll help us out tremendouslyyou know what's really
interesting about hearing youtalk about that and I I really
actually am happy you went tosuch detail.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
It really helps us, like, understand the depth of
someone.
It's not always a clear path tothe top right.
You see the accolades like, ohI must have a really nice, easy
high school career, but that'snot what it went.
And lacrosse is really one ofthose sports where and you know
this because you played it youcan see the character of a
person when they play lacrosse.
I mean, what positions did youplay for that?
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Ironically I was an attacker, so I scored the goals
and in soccer I defended thegoal.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
So your forearm just got hammered.
Yes exactly Part of being hereat West Ottawa.
Of course your wife is here,lauren.
What does she do here?
And that type of thing.
She was also a soccer player,correct she?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
was, yeah, high school counselor here.
She just started her third yearand she's primarily in the
north building here.
Travels to the south buildingas well.
Yeah, um, her college almamater was hope college, so she
played for hall of fame coach,coach sears, who just uh retired
.
So, um, that was roughly 20.
Uh, 2002 to 2006 is uh when sheplayed and she loved every you
(13:42):
almost look backwards toremember how long exactly right.
She loved it there too and, tobe honest, her connections to
Hope helped me become anassistant at Hope, because coach
Dave Brandt was looking for adependable goalkeeper assistant
when he got hired that role.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Is that dependable goalkeeper?
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
And coach Sears, her former coach, knew me because I
helped the women's program oneyear as a goalkeeper assistant.
She recommended me to coachbrant.
Coach brant called me, knockedon the door and and that they're
that.
That started my time at hopecollege.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
So, anyway, my wife yeah, you asked about a wife,
but yeah, there's a lot ofpassions when you play sports.
Talking to your mom, your momand dad still love to play
soccer.
Right, tell me about that Well.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
I don't know why they still do my mom.
She's got her ACL surgery aswell.
We actually got it one yearapart, exactly by the same
doctor, dr Stewart.
I had my shoulder done by DrStewart.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Yeah, Dr Stewart has done actually three surgeries on
me Really.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
But they really like playing.
My dad was actually a semi-proplayer in Mexico.
I don't know if you guys reallyknow a lot of Mexican teams,
but he was in the.
They call it Fuerzas Básicas deNecaza.
That's where he played overthere.
Really he tried out andeverything, but he said it was
really hard.
It was really really hard.
So he decided to quit and hecame back wow, wow, I did not
(15:14):
know that was coming that'sreally cool.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
That's an awesome story.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Really cool that that is part of your guys story.
That's incredible.
One part about looking at yourteam and learning about you is
you guys do a lot of stufftogether to build character.
So we have, I noticed back inthe day with all Hamilton, you
did car washes, you did all thattype of stuff, but you've also
done some things at the GatewayMission, andrew, can you speak
to that a little bit?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Yeah, I feel like that was a great, great helping
experience, because not only arewe giving back to the community
, but we're also bonding as ateam.
We're helping each other, we'rehelping other people that need
help.
They even told us that they'rereally grateful because we did
work that they wouldn't completein two weeks.
We did work that like aphenomenal work.
(16:00):
Yeah, in one hour.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Yeah, in one hour and helped save them two weeks
worth of work.
Yeah, that was great to hear.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Yeah, one hour and help save them two weeks worth
of work.
Yeah, that was great to hearCoach maybe talk to, I guess,
kind of the influence there andwhy you kind of reach for those
opportunities or look for thoseopportunities to provide your
guys.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
Zar knows this too, but they're constantly hearing
me say win at everything, win ateverything, and that's winning
on the soccer field.
We all want to win right on thescoreboard, but multiple other
ways that are more important.
So winning in the community,giving back, like Zahar just
said.
Winning with relationshipsthese guys have constant
opportunities with brothers onthe team that I've matched them
(16:38):
up with, a partner that theymight not know all that well,
but they just are constantlytrying to connect in terms of
relationships.
Winning in the classroom I meanwe have, as Zah, our kind of got
into it, but, um, these guyscan't be failing a class like
not even one class during theseason, or else they can't play
the next game until they theyget that grade up.
So winning in the classroomstudent before athlete and just
(16:58):
winning.
Also, just informally, we haveteam dinners.
You know I hosted them for ateam dinner at our house.
We have a couple other familiesthey're gonna host.
We had a a little sand soccertournament this past Saturday
where we had a meal afterwardsprovided by a couple of our
families.
So just just winning in the fundepartment too it's not always
business.
A little bit of pleasure tojust multiple ways that we can
(17:18):
win and I think it's helping usright now.
It's early in the season andyou know we're two, one and one.
Right now We've got some biggerfish to fry coming up right,
our rivals with Grand Haven andRockford and Holland.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
That's a team goal, right?
Speaker 4 (17:32):
Yeah, we've got to beat Holland this year, that's
for sure and not to look pastour non-conference game next
Tuesday.
But Grand Haven is a huge gamenext Thursday at home.
Yeah, all the winning ateverything is intentional work
that we do to have success inmultiple facets.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Something else that's been intentional on your part
that I don't know how much youmay have heard, but shortly
after you sent the rosters ofyour teams to all of the
teachers in the building, myinbox was flooded Teachers,
counselors, principals, reachingout to me and saying I wish
(18:12):
more of our coaches did this, tothe point that we're actually
going to create a document inthe athletic department to send
out.
We're going to call it theTyler Robinson spreadsheet.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
No, please don't.
I think I've already madeenough enemies.
Coaches are rolling their eyes.
You just created more work forme, tyler Robinson, I don't.
I think I've already madeenough enemies.
Coaches are rolling their eyes.
You just created more work forme.
Tyler Robinson, I don't evenknow you.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
The good thing is, we're not going to make them do
it, we're actually going to doit.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
Oh, that's sweet, thank you, we're going to pull
their rosters from Final Forms.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
But we've had teachers reach out and the
reason they is as and you know,as a classroom teacher now, as a
classroom teacher, I know allof the kids and what sports
they're in and I know, oh, theyhad a game last night, so maybe
that's why his energy is lowhere in first hour.
(18:59):
It's that, that sort of thingthat you've kind of, I guess,
helped them to understand whereall their kids are coming from
so appreciate that and love thatyou did that.
Can I just add a little bit tothat, just to brag about my guys
a little bit.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
I got some responses too from teachers and not just
teachers, but counselors andadmin and a few of them were
pointed positive messages abouta couple of my guys that have
been rock stars in the classroom, and one in particular, chris
Mora.
I don't think he'd mind metalking about him because, yeah,
he's just a stud Like oneteacher.
(19:35):
Three paragraphs worth of thisis why I love Chris Mora so much
, and it was largely justimprovement from his earlier
formative years and he's justlike totally turned the page and
he's a captain of ours now too,with czar and he's and that's
his teammates lauding him.
I didn't pick the captains, andit's partly what he's done in
the classroom and and and peoplejust respect that and obviously
(19:58):
teachers respect that.
So we gave him a shout out theother day when, uh, when I got
that email so interesting thatyou bring up chris.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Yeah, so, as I'm leaving the game on Tuesday
night, I stop and I see EliPaquette.
Eli runs campus safety and hegoes.
Holy cow.
Chris Mora, what a kid.
That is what West Ottawa wasabout.
Didn't have the greatest start,but he was able to change and
make some changes in his lifeand now he's getting accolades
and people are like look at thiskid Yep Sc life and now he's
(20:28):
getting you know accolades andpeople are like look at this kid
.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
Yep scored it scored a great goal for us early in the
second half against granville,and then, and then, like the
seal was broken, and then czargets his goal and yeah, and he's
.
So he's doing well in thesoccer field, but more
importantly, he's just a rockstar off of it.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
So sorry, you had a huge smile on your face and they
were talking about him uh, yeah, so we go way back, like we
grew up with each other actually, and like I remember when he
couldn't play his sophomore year, um, because of his grades he
didn't want to go to summerschool, um, but last couple
years he's been doing really,really good with his grades and
keeping up, like with hisattendance and everything.
(21:01):
So he, he's gone a long waythat's such an encouraging part
of sports.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
We always talk with coaches and we're doing this for
our kids, doing that for ourkids.
That's tangible, right In ahuman being's life.
A coach sees it, an AD sees it,and the biggest smile came from
a friend who sees it right.
Yep.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
You know, right, and it's winning in the relationship
department.
So Car is super close with them.
But some of my sophomores andjuniors who don't have the
relationship yet with Chris, nowit's like there's another
connection, like I want to belike Chris and it's, and now
I've got a relationship becauseI've heard success stories and
(21:40):
maybe they're struggling in acertain class or whatever, even
behaviorally, and like it's theChris Moore effect, right, and
so it's just helping the wholejust naming things after.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Yeah, exactly, sorry, chris moore effect, I put you
in the evil villain category.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
You could be a good guy.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Let's talk about the culture here at west auto a
little bit.
What's so unique?
One of the unique things aboutwest auto is how the the
demographics here.
We have people from tons ofdifferent cultures, tons of
different backgrounds as a coachcoming in here and this is kind
of a little add-on to that, butsoccer also, it breathes
differently from every countrythat it's played in.
(22:21):
Right, can you just speak toboth of those things a little
bit?
Maybe, coach, you go first andthen Andrew can go next?
Speaker 4 (22:25):
Sure, can you just speak to both of those things a
little bit.
Maybe, coach, you go first andthen Angie can go next.
Sure, I mentioned earlier inthe podcast that my wife and I
we really live in the Hollandcommunity Ever since I moved
from East Lansing.
I've lived in Holland for 23years because of the diversity,
because of the worldview ofHolland, and it's no offense to
previous employers because theytreated me well.
(22:46):
It's a great community there.
It's just not.
It's not this community, um, uh, and just to be immersed in it
now and now in a circle soccerculture, that selfishly is.
This is a soccer community andof course football, you know,
and other sports and you knowmuch respect to them.
But uh, I was salivating andlike super excited to be a part
(23:06):
of a soccer community and also aworld community and we happen
to have some talent too.
So and I knew I could have aneffect on the culture here too.
I just was confident in that.
So it's early, but I'm excitedand, zara, you can speak on that
stuff too.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Yeah, so I mostly like the Wastato culture.
I like it's phenomenal, likethe kids here, like they're
amazing, like I like being mixedand everything.
And for the soccer team, likefootball team, like we're all
different, like, and I like thatbecause it makes us different,
makes us stand out like we.
I feel like we have reallygreat sports here.
(23:45):
So with different culturesinvolved, I feel like that makes
us even better.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Let's go to the part where soccer is different from
different countries.
Right, you play in that OpenMen's Hispanic League in the
summertime.
Oh yeah, Give me the culturaldifference of playing in that
league.
What's that like for you?
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Okay, well, it depends and what division you
play.
So, for example, like, if youplay with the older people, um,
they're more like likely toinjure you um a little more
physical yeah, a little morephysical than normal um they
can't run with you.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Yeah, because they can't run with you.
So there's reach.
Yeah, the old guys know how toplay older.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Yeah, they do, yeah, but it's way different, Like
there's more yelling involved.
There's more like not like inWest Ottawa, it's like more calm
over there, it's more yelling,Like what are you doing?
Speaker 2 (24:47):
It's more like toxic.
I guess you would say I used tolive in Grand rapids um 20,
maybe 25 years ago and there wasa park near where I lived where
every sunday afternoon thehispanic league played.
Yeah, and boy was it loud, itwas talking.
The energy was high, it wasintense.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
Yeah, can I cut?
In my first five years livingin holland I got recruited I
can't remember why, but to playindoor soccer at the soccer spot
.
Did I tell you this?
Yeah and uh, it was an allhispanic league.
I was a goalkeeper.
Uh, indoor, um, you know thegame.
An indoor game is just likehigh flying, just balls
everywhere.
Probably one of the only, uh,non-native spanish speakers, so
(25:17):
a lot of language that I wasn'tunderstanding.
I know a little bit of spanishand you know serviceable, but it
was competitive, like wholefamilies would show up and
playing, banging on the boardslike it's a hockey game you know
um, and it was so fun.
Yeah, uh, and it really goodsoccer players.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Oh yeah, really good soccer players they do play like
it's like the world cup, though, like every game, like they're
gonna win something big, likethey it was fun yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Do you take any lessons from that when you play?
Speaker 1 (25:46):
yeah, like, um, like I feel like that that's gotten
me better, because like I feellike the older people and like I
just like how they play, likeespecially like I look up to my
dad, like, since he knows a lotof people around how old is your
dad right now.
My dad is currently 43.
Oh because?
Speaker 2 (26:04):
he can still hang in there.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
He's on that list.
Why don't you get to 47?
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Bill's 47 by the way, I figured that he still looks
young, though.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Look at him, he still looks young.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
We gotta bring this guy back.
Special guest next episode.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
So your dad can still hang.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
He is getting slower on the slower end and he's not
hitting the ball as hard.
But guys that have gone throughhere, they still don't try
going Because he's a defender.
So they really don't try goingthrough him because they know
they can't and they've told itto him many times.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
They're all like why do you have to be on my side?
Why do you?
Speaker 1 (26:45):
have to guard me Because, like he's just, he's
just got the.
He doesn't got the speed, buthe's got the IQ of how to defend
he's physical like you are.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Yeah, he's physical.
Yeah, that's one thing I'vealways loved about your game
watching you as you've kind ofcome up through the program over
the years.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
The physicality you play with.
I remember, as we were gettingready for interview process with
coach Robinson, and you walkedin and I was like man he is not
built like the traditionalsoccer player.
He looks like he can playlinebacker.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Yeah, that's what they tell me a lot.
They're all like what sport doyou play?
And I'm like I play soccer.
And they're all like, dang, youlook pretty big for a soccer
player.
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
Yeah, when you came into the building today I was
like, okay, yeah, all right,we've got coach, maybe you can
talk to it a little bit, as I'vewatched us through the early
portion of the year one of thethings that really stands out to
me is the size that we have.
You've got.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Garvalink, who is a big body.
He's a boss.
He's a boss who is a big body.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Jonathan Kern, jonathan Kern.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
Yeah, jonathan Kern, really long Sonder.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
How does that the size and physicality that you're
able to bring, and then alsomixing in some of that small
quick speed that you have?
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Yeah, I think we've got a great combination of a lot
of things and since day onewhen I was hired, we were in the
weight room as much as we couldbe with Frank and Frank's an
awesome, awesome support for usup in the up in the weight room,
so he has set our guys up forsuccess.
I was intentionally in theweight room with the guys as
much as I could be this summeras well.
(28:15):
We had pretty good attendance.
In that regard, that definitelyhelped.
We're trying to stay in theweight room a little bit during
the season to maintain stuff.
So that's been helpful.
And I'm trying to sell it tosome of our guys, like myself,
having been in the college gameat division three, at division
one.
That's what those guys do too.
They're constantly in theweight room.
It doesn't make you slower, itdoesn't make you, you know, more
(28:37):
sluggish, it's power and it'sexplosion and that's soccer, and
so it's helping us.
I think we more help with it but, um, uh, it's paid dividends
for sure, yeah yeah, I was justtalking.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
You know, frank and I ride to football games together
, so we spent a lot of time lastnight driving back forth the
grand ledge and he was kind ofgoing through some of the teams
that stand out to him as far asteams that have really embraced
the weight room and he spokevery highly of kind of the
soccer program and the changethat really has been made there
and the way that the guys areacting in the weight room.
(29:11):
Right, you come in and you'relocked in czar.
What do you, I guess, talkabout your experience in the
weight room and and just beingaround, frank, and kind of the
workouts and that sort of thingand maybe how that's helped you
on the field?
Speaker 1 (29:23):
yeah, for sure.
So I like frank frank givesthat energy.
Like helped you on the field.
Yeah, for sure.
So I like frank frank givesthat energy, like he he's always
like come on, like this isgonna help you.
Like it does help you.
Like it it has helped me likecrazy.
Like it helps you with notgetting injured.
Um playing better, being morephysical than other teams.
It helps you just overall as aplayer.
Um makes you look better itkeeps you in fit.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
When you have those workouts at the beach, you're
like, yeah, we'll work out atthe beach.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
I'm glad that was like fourth on your list for
reasons to work out because?
Yeah, because there are moreimportant things, like you
mentioned.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Well, let's talk about Azar a little bit.
You know, whenever somebodycomes on the podcast, I always
give him credit just for comingon.
Yeah, because it's not theeasiest thing to do, coach.
Let's talk about this guy.
Let's talk about some of hisunique talents and gifts.
When I talked to Alex Sliderabout you, he had so many
positive things to say.
One of them was a utilityplayer, which we'll get into
(30:22):
because I want to come up with adifferent term for that.
It's almost a backhandedcompliment in a way, but there's
, I mean, it's one of therichest things you can have as a
coach.
You know that.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
Talk about this guy to me, to us yeah, so I'm gonna
use I'm gonna use a differentterm multi-tooled, multi-skilled
, okay.
So yeah, versatile as well, Imean a guy that can master
different positions and bedependent on in those positions.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
So hard to pull off.
Speaker 4 (30:48):
Yeah, not just to fill in, but somebody okay,
so-and-so's sick today.
Plug Czar in there, so-and-so'sdealing with an injury.
I think Czar could be a centerback.
That speaks to him.
I mean, he clearly has soccerexperience and he's a great
leader vocally and I realizedthat probably in the interview
process when you were in on myinterview.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
But are you drilling coach with questions in the
interview?
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Yeah, kind of One of the questions?
Speaker 4 (31:15):
Yeah, or at least one .
So he brings a lot of toolsthat's why I say multi-tooled
person and he's just a good dudeoff the field, which is more
important as well, so it helpshim on the field as well.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
What particular things do you feel you bring to
the team yourself?
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Well, I feel like I bring.
I can be more positive thannegative sometimes, but I try to
be more positive.
Good problem I feel like Ibring positivity to the team and
I definitely bring more.
How would you say I push theteam to become better,
especially in the weight room,since I lift probably the
(31:56):
heaviest in the weight room.
I want kids to be more stronger, more physical.
When they see me doing workouts, I try to help them out and
like I try pushing them to theirlimit.
So I try, I try pushing thekids harder, especially since
it's my senior year.
I want to see them grow andbecome better players and I want
to see them.
If we don't win states thisyear or um conference, hopefully
(32:19):
they'll win it next year.
I want them to win something.
Wistado hasn't won somethingfor soccer in a very, very long
time, so maybe this year will bethe year, hopefully, but if not
, I want next year to be prettystrong.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Being the player that does these multi-positions, you
have to be very cerebral.
Yeah, do you find that?
Do you see the game that waymentally?
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Not everybody has that.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Yeah, um, like going back to my dad, he's always
taught me how to play.
I've been playing since I wasthree years old.
So I I started really reallyyoung um, and since he has that
defensive minded um, so likehe's always taught me about
defense.
I I did play center back when Iwas younger, though that's what
I used to play center back,center defensive, mid and um and
(33:02):
striker sometimes.
So, um, you kind of just see thefield a little bit different,
you see the openings and sincehaving, I guess, a Mexican dad,
he was way more stricter, likeespecially when I wouldn't play
good or like stuff like that.
So that's how I learned.
I learned kind of like the hardway, like my dad really wasn't
like, oh, you got this.
Next time he was all like whydidn't you do this, why didn't
(33:29):
you do this, why didn't you dothat?
So like hard love, yeah, hardlove.
So he kind of taught me um tolook at the openings, how to
look at the field, open thefield, um, don't pass here,
because then the attacker isgoing to come, or stuff like
that.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
So he's kind of taught me like the ropes it is
probably one of the toughestthings to teach as a coach is
that cerebral part.
A lot of the young kids todayjust get caught up in all the
physicality right and those areall good variables I'm going to
get stronger, I'm going to befaster but that cerebral part,
as a coach, I mean, that's whatyou're doing, basically yep, um.
How hard is that to teach yeah,and it's and how is it?
(33:58):
How nice is it not to have to?
Speaker 4 (34:00):
yeah, correct.
Uh, you know it goes back tothe.
It's the soccer community.
Here I've already got guys thathave played a ton of soccer in
various contexts, like some ofour guys are in high level clubs
that are pretty well structured.
Other guys are a high levelclub and the Sunday night
leagues and a lot of them gettogether on their own and just
(34:21):
play pickup like open fieldstuff, so they know soccer.
So to not have to teach that andto teach more of like the macro
things, like structure, teamstructure and team shape and
cultural things, and spend moretime on that intentionally and
not all the soccer IQ stuff, hashelped us already kind of maybe
hopefully skip a few steps inthe process of building
(34:45):
something great, great here Iwant to say too that czar I
don't know if we mentioned thishe's, he's a team captain of
ours, so, um, not onlymulti-tooled and multi-skilled,
but he has his, the respect fromhis teammates because he earned
their votes.
And I when, when they vote forcaptains, they have to uh write
and this is all anonymous tooand I only see it, but they
write reasons why they pick eachof the players that they pick,
(35:06):
and common comments for Zar wasthat he's vocal, he's positive,
gets along with everybody, he'shigh soccer IQ and just like
good holistic, all-around dudestuff, which makes him a good
captain.
So I wanted to make sure thatgot in there too.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
So good, wholesome all-around dude stuff.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
Love it it's a lot to live up to now.
Zark, every day, man, he'salready doing it and that's why
we're talking about it right.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
As a coach, too, there's all these different
styles to play.
This is a bit of a mosaic.
What is your style as a coach?
What are some specific thingsthat you teach Because every
coach has this where you do acouple things, probably where
you say I know people aren'tdoing this and this is what I
like to teach.
Can you speak to?
Speaker 4 (35:47):
that I can.
Yeah, we have six team goalsthat are all measurable and
specific and attainable.
You know SMART goals that wecall them.
Three of them are actuallygoals that I've infused and I
think the guys have bought into.
But I want my teams to beskilled.
So like keep the ball, I meanmean don't hold the ball, but
keep it, like possession.
So we track possession everygame.
(36:08):
Like we want to have the ballmore than the other team and
there's a way that we keep trackof that.
And we, uh we reflect aftereach game did we have time of
possession?
How'd we do?
So, keep the ball.
Uh, so that's one of the three.
Another one of the three is uh,win the.
So win the 50-50 battle.
So any loose balls, we'll seehow much it gets.
At least it gets more than theother team.
(36:29):
So, aggressive, and we can keeptrack of that.
They're called offensivetransitions on huddles, so we
have stats for that.
And then also just disciplined,and we need to be way better in
that category.
So, winning the foul andpenalty battle every game.
We're still learning some.
We're taking our lumps on that.
Um gave up a bad goal the otherday at the end of the game
(36:50):
because of a penalty, and so weneed to be more disciplined, not
not passive on the field, butfind the balance between
aggressive and reckless.
And we're just not there yetand we're getting there.
So there's that, uh, and weplay a 4-4-2 tight diamond, and
this is soccer lingo, you guysI'm gonna go back to ted lasso,
episode seven, season two, lbr.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
Yeah, exactly uh.
Speaker 4 (37:12):
It's maybe a shape they're not used to.
They're getting used to it too,but we have.
We have a phrase called sevenup, where we always have seven
players forward every attackinguh situation.
So one of our defenders isalways getting forward and
joining into the play always.
That's like a.
You have to do this every playand that's maybe different than
what we're used to, but we havesome good outside defenders that
(37:33):
are getting up in the attackthat are helping us.
You know Jono and Chico andJosh Morales, and and and.
So it's working.
We just need to be more, moreconsistent with it.
Speaker 3 (37:42):
Yeah that's definitely something I've
noticed.
Just, you know I've got towatch a couple of games now and
just we seem way more aggressivegetting into the offensive zone
than we have in years past, andit's, I mean, maybe not always
resulting in in goals, but we'regetting tons of chances on cage
and the more chances you get,the more goals you're going to
(38:03):
score right, and that's going tostart finding the net as the
season moves forward.
Speaking of goals.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
You do a great job of posting on your social media on
Instagram it's woesoccer1,correct.
Speaker 4 (38:14):
Yeah, woesoccer1.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
And one is just the number itself.
That first goal of the seasonyou guys had against Jenison, I
believe.
Oh yeah, this was cool as a big, as a soccer fan.
This doesn't happen to happen.
There was four straight onetouches yeah, to score that goal
yeah tell me about that, so gowatch it.
If you're watching this headover there, watch this, for one
touch, go ahead so I was on thesideline because I couldn't play
(38:36):
since I was injured.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
this, um, I think yesterday, no two days ago, was
my first game back, so firstgoal opener.
But anyways, jenison, it wassecond half, I believe, correct.
Speaker 4 (38:51):
Yeah, we were down 1-0.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Yeah we were down 1-0 .
It went in from Nate Ward toJaden to Colton and then he just
volleyed it in.
It was an absolutely banger.
It was.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
First goal of the season.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
I mean, that was a great way to start.
Speaker 4 (39:08):
I mean, unfortunately we gave up a goal about five
minutes later to lose that game,even though we should have won
that game with chances.
But it was a good way to startand clearly we have some
offensive firepower.
I mean, colton's a defensiveplayer by trade and for him to
bang that in that was prettysick.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
Was he the out?
Well, he wasn't the out.
Defense wouldn't have been thatfar out.
Speaker 4 (39:28):
At the time yes, because we were trying to press
for a goal.
We were down 1-0, so we changedour shape and we were in a
forwarded attacking shape and so, by design, he was forward.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
And so luckily he was , and, yeah, it was skilled,
skilled goal.
What's encouraging about thatas a fan of sports is it feels
nowadays in a lot of differentsports well, the ball has come
to me, now it's my turn to do mything, right, yeah, it's a lot
of sports, so it's my turn to domy thing.
That was not that like.
That was the instantaneous offmy foot to the next guy was yeah
, it's so well and it's it'svery playful.
(40:05):
First of all, which is awonderful part of soccer, if you
will, is that playful part, butthe unselfishness on that and
the beauty of the goal is justtremendous.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
You described it great.
Yeah, it was an absolutely goodgoal.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Not as good as your header against Granville.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
No, it was even better.
I'll give him that that was areally good goal.
Speaker 4 (40:31):
First game.
Really good goal for firstfirst game really good goal.
Uh, props to colton shoemaker.
So yeah, it was fun.
It was just fun to watch, but,like you're alluding to, soccer
is a total team game.
So if that ball wasn't, I thinkmitchell gonzalez is the one
that played it to to nate, nateto chico yeah, chico to colton
and so that's, that's four guystouching it.
I mean, colton gets the YouTubehighlights, but it's it comes
down to like four or five, sixguys yeah, just that vision, and
I just remember looking at itand watching that play.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Everybody had their head up.
I just watched it because I'mlike everyone's head is up, like
no one's down looking at theirfeet.
Everyone's up, it's just.
This was fun.
It's fun to look at.
Speaker 3 (41:02):
We'll kind of start to get things wrapped up here.
But, coach, I want to talk realquick on kind of we're into the
season now, a couple of gamesunder our belt.
We've got, obviously, a biggame Thursday, not looking past
Tuesday night, nope.
But kind of, what are yourexpectations now that you've
kind of gotten into it, gottenthrough a couple of games,
seeing what you guys are capableof?
(41:22):
Yep?
Speaker 4 (41:24):
I'm hoping and maybe Zara can speak more on this as a
player perspective, but I'mhoping that more and more guys
if not all of them have boughtin that we can be something
special, not just on the fieldbut off the field and winning in
all those departments.
So having success and tangibleresults, being 2-1-1, undefeated
in the OK Red thus far is it's.
(41:45):
It's good.
It's not good enough.
Yet we're gonna play muchbetter competition coming up, so
grand haven looming on thursday.
You know that's one of our teamgoals to beat our rivals.
They're one of them after wehopefully take care of business
on tuesday.
Um, like I said, bigger fist tofry, it's gonna be.
We gotta be way moredisciplined because we're just
too loosey, goosey and justthrowing our body around dumbly
(42:08):
and if we keep doing that we'regoing to hurt ourselves.
So if we can solve that issue,I think that'll be maybe the
most important step for us.
But time will tell.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Yeah, for sure, for sure, time will tell, but
definitely like we need to bemore disciplined.
I feel like in all aspects wecould be a little bit better at
everything for sure, like how hesaid, we just need to be more
disciplined, I guess, on thefield, outside the field, just
being on time everywhere ingeneral, Including nutrition and
sleep.
Speaker 4 (42:36):
Including nutrition yeah, coach Alex gave the guys a
huge, really helpful likehere's how to treat your body
better.
This is your homework.
Here's what to eat.
Here's what to eat, here's whatto drink, here's what to sleep,
I mean.
And hopefully these guys buyinto it.
But they're also high schoolboys, so we'll see if they
actually follow through.
Right.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Zarm, you'll follow through, right, yeah, for sure,
for sure.
You mentioned alex and I'd beremiss if we didn't at least hit
on kind of the structure ofyour coaching staff, really,
from the freshmen all the way up, getting someone like larry de
leon to come in and coach ourfreshmen, who has been a part of
the soccer community at westottawa for decades.
Right, having that youthfulenergy of nate garcia with our
(43:14):
jb I don't know that I've everseen anyone more positive on a
sideline in any sport.
Like his energy is off the wall, correct?
Uh, every time I see him he isfired up.
Yeah, and then, having thehaving the experience of Alex
joining you on the varsity staffnot only his experience as
coach but his experience withall of our players and kind of
(43:34):
what.
That's how that's kind ofhelped you as you've
transitioned in the new gig.
Speaker 4 (43:39):
I got hired in late February.
I sat down for coffee for anhour and a half with Alex, uh,
about a week later, um, andpicked his brain and took notes
and uh, he and just, and, and hehad been up like the whole
previous night with his newbornand so he I mean that just
speaks to Alex and his, his, hisexperience at West Ottawa and
(44:03):
knowing the boys like intimatelyand about them as people helped
me hit the ground runningimmediately.
So he has been invaluable andto have him on the sideline and
part of training, he's just kindof a floating assistant now.
So you know he helped JVyesterday at practice and he's
on the sidelines of multipleteams.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
He's just been tremendous that's a really cool
position, by the way.
Speaker 4 (44:25):
A floating assistant at all three levels that's a
nice, nice little thread right,he was yeah, yeah, and he's been
great yep all right that's allcourtesy of the union and
negotiations with schedule b
Speaker 2 (44:38):
contracts, get those positions created so well, this
is going to be fun.
If you're listening to thispodcast and you don't go to
soccer, come out.
It's fall right the.
The leaves are going to change.
We all know how great soccergets in late September, early
October.
That's really fun, Bestfacility around.
Speaker 4 (44:59):
Yeah, you like playing there, oh gosh.
Speaker 1 (45:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (45:10):
Like kid in a kids in a candy store.
Every day we go there.
Yeah, it's just amazing.
Yeah, can I say one more thingabout the 29 one?
Yeah, yeah, this is amazing andit speaks to my experience in
the last number of months Um,the, the, the amount of support
I've gotten from fellow coaches,um, assistants, uh, former
coaches, current coaches hasmade my transition so much
easier.
Uh, and that speaks to thecommunity.
I know we talked about thediversity of the community, but
just to have the diversity ofsports and coaches, like rooting
(45:31):
for each other and like we aretruly one team, has been on top
of all the other amazing thingsthat I've experienced here as a,
thus far, a teacher and a coach.
The athletic community is barnone.
It's, it's been amazing.
So I want to make sure I've gotthat plug in there, because, go
, whoa, I love to hear that.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
Yeah, and it's nice.
I think it's.
We talked about this a littlebit on the site.
It's like you guys are soinvolved with your teams.
We all think coaches all talkto each other.
You don't always get the chanceto do that, so this is an
opportunity where we can listento each other pick.
So this is an opportunity wherewe can listen to each other
pick some things up.
You know all that kind of stuff, so that's really great.
So thanks for doing this, guys.
Yeah, this is awesome.
Thank you.
Well, I am looking forward tothe season, but, more
(46:10):
importantly, I'm looking 15years down the road when I get
that action figure from Zar.
Yep.
Speaker 4 (46:16):
Zar the.
Speaker 1 (46:17):
Evil Zar, and I want to add one little phrase.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
I do know one phrase phrase.
This one of my good friendsplayed some high level soccer
back in the day and he played ona ethnic team, but it was a
bunch of iris dudes.
So I went to one of his gamesand all game was keep the ball
on the floor, lads.
Yeah, keep the ball on the floorlads yep, and that's what they
yelled the entire game.
So, yeah, it has been super funsitting with you guys.
You guys are both great energy.
(46:41):
It's nice to meet you, uh, andI look forward to just knowing
you throughout the rest of thisyear.
Coach, it's been great meetingyou.
Czar, you too, dude, you are.
You got it going on, man.
You got a nice future.
The energy you got, man.
I tell you what.
Speaker 3 (46:56):
You guys will hear his voice over the intercom.
A couple of games here thisyear Rodney's sitting in.
Speaker 4 (47:01):
Oh for soccer, sure For soccer.
Speaker 3 (47:02):
Do the announcing and run the scoreboard and stuff.
Speaker 2 (47:05):
That's awesome.
I might throw Evil Villain justin early.
Speaker 4 (47:09):
It's going to be an alter ego because there's no
Hulk, andrew by day.
Yeah, all right.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
I probably took that one a little too far.
That's okay, Thanks everybodyfor joining and being, and we'll
see you guys out on the pitch,lads.
Speaker 4 (47:22):
Thank you very much, guys.
Thanks, man, we'll see you.
Speaker 2 (47:26):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
If you have enjoyed listening to the 29 one podcast,
be sure to like and subscribe.
You can find us on Spotify,apple, no-transcript.
especially since it's my senior year.
I want to see them grow andbecome better players and I want
to see them.
If we don't win states thisyear or conference, hopefully
they'll win it next year.
I want them to win something.
West Ottawa hasn't wonsomething for soccer in a very,
very long time, so maybe thisyear will be the year, hopefully
, but if not, I want next yearto be pretty strong.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Hey everybody, this is Rodney Valinga with the West
Ottawa High School AthleticProgram and you're listening to
the 29.1 podcast.
29 sports, one team, the showthat brings you into the lives
of student-athletes, coaches andother faces in the Panther
sports community, bringing youthe stories you might otherwise
never hear.
Join myself and AthleticDirector Bill Kennedy as we dive
(00:49):
in with you to get to know eachother a little bit better.
Hey everybody, welcome back toanother episode of the 29.1.
I'm Rodney Velinga, your host,and I'm here with Panther
Athletic Director Bill Kennedy.
Meeting new people and gettingto know more people in our
community is one of the goals ofthis program and, bill, that's
(01:12):
exactly what we're doing today.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Yes, sir, today we are joined by first year soccer
coach Tyler Robinson.
Tyler comes to West auto after20 years at Hamilton.
He and his wife Lauren havemade North Holland their home
and we could not be more excitedto have their family join the
Panther Athletic community.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, we also talked with senior captain Andrew
Merlem Salazar, aka Zar, anincredibly broad-shouldered
force of positivity and skillwho is making his impact felt on
and off the field.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Tyler Robinson, andrew Merlem Salazar.
Coming up next on the 29 one,let's go.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
All right.
Well, hey everybody, we areback here at the 29 one.
We are moving on and we justkeep on rocking, meeting some
really wonderful people here atwest ottawa.
We hope you're enjoyinglistening, and we got a really I
will call it a fresh podcasttoday.
We got some new people in hereand, bill, we got two people in
here today.
It's gonna be fun, uh who is it?
Speaker 4 (02:18):
I'm andrew merlum.
I'm coach tyler robinson.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, we're really excited to sit down with Tyler
Robinson, new head varsitysoccer coach.
Senior captain Andrew MerlamSalazar, aka czar.
All right, I really appreciateyou guys coming in.
I know you got training latertoday.
I won't call it practice, it'straining.
Speaker 4 (02:40):
right, that's soccer lingo.
Yeah, we're on the pitch.
Speaker 1 (02:42):
We're on the pitch.
Speaker 4 (02:42):
We're on the pitch.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
That's right.
We got training, we got asession, a session, a little
session coming up later today.
So appreciate you guys makingtime.
Absolutely Thanks for having us.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
What was the one show on Apple?
Again, that's all the.
What was that show?
That was super hot.
A couple years ago.
Ted Lasso, ted Lasso, of course, so super fun.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
That was all the rage in our opening PD day, like our
admin was Ted Lasso clips andBelieve is the theme of the
entire school year.
We all have Believe pictures upin our classrooms.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Every classroom From Ted Lasso.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Yeah, that's a great show.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
And the truth is is the coaching was pretty darn
good, like just the headspacecoaching, right.
Speaker 4 (03:24):
Yeah, just teaching themspace, coaching, correct,
right?
Yeah, just teaching them andcoaching them every day just to
be good dudes, which is what wetry to do.
And and the dominoes fall whenyou're just, you're playing for
each other and you're, you'reyeah, you're in right headspace
and supporting each other and,of course, belief and uh, that's
just a feel good, feel goodshow.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
You watch it, yeah yeah, I watched it sometimes.
Sometimes, not just our schoolhas the belief.
Even when we went to Granville,they had it all over their
locker room, yep.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
I'm sure everyone's having that same pregame speech
before you head out.
Andrew, you are a Senior Senior, you're a senior here at West
Ottawa and you are a big brotheragain.
Yeah, I talked to your mom.
I believe it was two days ago.
Today's yeah, so it was twodays ago.
You have a new baby in yourfamily can talk about that just
for a second.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, so I got a new sister um, she was born on
monday.
Her name I picked her nameactually really her name is
elena nadalia, um salazar, sothat's her name.
Wow, that's nice, that's reallycool.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
That's really cool.
Your mom is.
Mom was able to talk to her.
She's very, very gracious, yeah, after just having a baby.
We were just talking about this.
It was like so recent.
I didn't know when I talked toher, but she was very nice and
gracious.
How is the sleeping going athome?
Speaker 1 (04:37):
It's all right.
She does cry a lot.
She's got like the night mixedup with the day, I guess, so she
doesn't cry during the day, butshe cries at night like crazy.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Babies will tend to do that, won't they?
You go, your name is Andrew andI'm not sure what I'm supposed
to call you, because I know thatis not common for people to
call you Andrew, maybe a teacheror if you get in trouble with
somebody.
But you go by Zar, correct?
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Yeah, well, that's like my, like soccer name.
I guess that's what they gaveme that's just your soccer
nickname.
Yeah, so like um.
So it kind of went around.
It started like um.
When I first joined varsitylast year um, so everyone would
get a nickname um and mine,since my last name is salazar,
so they would just call me shortfor czar.
So like everyone just startedcalling me that and then it just
took that.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
That's pretty good.
Yeah, I mean, if you ever wantto go into the evil villain
superhero category in yourfuture life czar.
Yeah, I mean deep voice czar,exactly, czar.
We might.
Let's just do that the rest ofthe way.
So that's pretty fun.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
Yeah, and then, tyler , getting to know you a little
bit and coming new to the WestOttawa community, new in, I
guess, some ways, in that youknow your wife has been here for
a couple of years now.
What's it like, that transition, kind of getting in the
classroom here now and reallybeing all in at West Ottawa?
Speaker 4 (05:55):
It's been amazing, you know, having lived in the
vicinity and now living in thecommunity, we've been immersed
into it, you know indirectly.
So to be a part of the WestOttawa culture officially has
been amazing.
And just to have my wife comehome the last couple of years
and just give story upon storyupon story of a supportive staff
(06:15):
and awesome students andsuccess stories but challenges
alike made me excited to youknow.
Finally be on board, yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
And you've been at a couple of great communities
already.
You were been at Hamilton andthen you've also been, you also
coached at Hope.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Correct.
Yeah yeah, Hamilton, 20 years.
Uh, as an English teacher, uh,varsity girls and boys coach a
little bit of JV, coach a littlebit of basketball there too.
And uh, yeah, Hope college.
It's my wife's alma mater.
Um, Got to coach under a greatcoach, Coach Brandt, Coach Dave
Brandt there for four years,from 2018 to 2022.
So that experience wasdefinitely formative.
(06:52):
Learned a lot of stuff fromwhat will be a Hall of Fame
Division III coach.
So, yeah, great, greatsupportive community Trained me
for this for sure.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Zar, when you are.
Can I call you Zar?
Yeah, go ahead.
We're in the soccer environment.
We're of a community trained mefor this, for sure, yeah, czar
when you are.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Can I call you czar?
We go, yeah, go ahead.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
We're in the soccer environment.
We're going to go with czar.
What is it like uh ben, for youearly.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
What are a couple things as a student athlete that
stand out about this guy to youso like I, like how he puts
like classroom first, like he'smaking us um be more prepared
like for the real world, because, like um, he has rules.
Well, like they're not rules, Iguess, like they're kind of are
, but I like them, becauseexpectations there we go, there
we go expectations that he hasfor us yeah, like because, like,
(07:32):
for example, like if you'relate, well, he says, if you're,
if you're on time, you're latestill.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
So you always want to be on time, like um earlier
than you're expected to czar,your season's kind of gotten off
to a little bit of a slow start, but then come in the other
night, make immediate impact inthat second half against
Granville, talk a little bitabout what you've been going
through early in the season andthen, as you kind of get ramped
up and ready to really make moreof a roll, so I guess the first
(08:01):
practice.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
I didn't want to injure my teammate so I tried
slide tackling and my ankle justgot caught.
Really bad.
I sprained my ankle and myAchilles a little minor,
starting back up.
Hopefully I'll get back intogetting the minutes again and
making a big difference for theteam this year.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Yeah, just got to get that fitness up, yeah fitness
is key.
Speaker 2 (08:23):
Coach, this is a little different for us because
we're trying to get to know you.
Can, key, coach, this is alittle bit of a little different
for us because we're trying toget to know you.
Can you just give us a littlebackground?
I know you played uh football,uh soccer at michigan state back
in the early 2000s.
You were a keeper.
Can you just briefly tell usabout that experience for you?
Speaker 4 (08:39):
yeah, for sure.
So growing up in lansing,michigan, uh, those, those are
my formative years.
Uh, k through 12, lansingWaverly was my high school.
Uh, the good thing about thatis, um, I'm a proponent of
multi-sports and I was a threesport guy.
There we go.
I actually played football myfreshman year.
Uh, did you know that.
Sorry, yeah, yeah, um, and wentback to, uh, organized soccer,
(09:01):
um, and on the soccer field, Iwasn't a goalkeeper until my
sophomore year, so I hadexperience as a holding mid,
just like yous are, yeah, and,and didn't really convert until
that was the soccer term, by theway, holding mid yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
So defensive got glassy eyed there, that's okay.
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Defensive center midfielder, I'd playing in the
middle of the field, but moredefensively, some more, yeah,
back towards our net.
So I had experience as a fieldplayer and then as a goalkeeper,
so it's kind of a holisticexperience that I think helps me
as a coach.
So, uh, it was late in the game.
Um, my senior year that I gotstarted started to get recruited
by Michigan State as a.
They just wanted a dependable,solid backup goalkeeper at the
(09:37):
time.
And just being across town, um,I was a lacrosse player at the
time my girlfriend at the timewas taking so follow me here my
girlfriend at the time wastaking a coaching soccer class
with Michigan State's coach.
She was a year ahead of me, shewas at Michigan State and she
mentioned to Coach Baum, who'sHall of Fame coach at MSU.
Hey, I got a boyfriend who's apretty good keeper.
(10:00):
You should look at him.
He's in his lacrosse seasonright now, but he was a pretty
good keeper.
You should look at him.
He's in his lacrosse seasonright now, but you should go
check him out.
And Coach Baum wasn't happy withhis backup goalkeepers at the
time.
So he came actually to alacrosse game of mine in the
spring of my senior year andjust watched me play and was
interested in at least talkingto me, set up a tryout with me
on Michigan State's campus towork with a former Big Ten, all
(10:24):
Big Ten goalkeeper for MSU andhe just ran me through the
ringer for like two straighthours of a tryout, just like
killed me basically, and Iimpressed him enough, I guess,
and so I was a recruited walk-onso I was guaranteed a spot on
the team, but I had to earn.
I ended up earning somescholarship money and working my
way up the goalkeeping ladderred shirt of my first year and
(10:47):
didn't really play much my nextyear, but just worked my way up
the ladder and by the time I wasa upperclassman.
Um was a starter and hadsuccess helping lead the team.
So it's what I tell the guys tolike.
I've been in your situation,whatever your role is on the
team.
I've been, uh I've I've sat anentire season as a red shirt
(11:08):
freshman.
I know what it's like to justgo to practice and not even have
a chance to play and the onlything you can do is stay
supportive, keep working hardand things and keep asking for
feedback and keep askingquestions and things will go
well eventually for you, um,I've been injured, um, I've been
a partial start.
I've lost my starting spot, uh,by my roommate who is also my
(11:29):
best friend.
He like, wow, yeah, he jumpedover me and we had to go home
and eat every, every nighttogether and it's like the only
thing you can do at that point.
I mean, you can be frustrated,but not outwardly.
It's what can you personally doto get better and help the team
at the same time?
And so those are some of thelessons.
They've they've hopefully beenhearing me, me um, teach, uh,
(11:49):
and so, um, I loved my time atMichigan state.
I grew up in their backyard, myparents went there, so it was a
dream school for me and I hadan all around great time, and I
think it helped me become, um,the coach here, I really think
it did.
Speaker 3 (12:01):
Zara, what's that like for you to have a coach
that you can kind of, you canask those questions, no matter
really what you're going through?
Right you've got a guy that'sgot some experience to bring to
the table and give you someperspective yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
So like I feel like that's like a big game changer
because like how he played atmsu like that's my kind of dream
school, that's where I want togo play soccer.
So I feel like that like helpsus a little bit.
Like um get connections.
I feel like he has connectionsat msu, so like I feel like he
could kind of help us out likeif we want to go to msu and like
stuff like that, I feel likethat's really good because
especially he has experience asa d1 player, so I feel like
(12:35):
that'll help us out tremendouslyyou know what's really
interesting about hearing youtalk about that and I I really
actually am happy you went tosuch detail.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
It really helps us, like, understand the depth of
someone.
It's not always a clear path tothe top right.
You see the accolades like, ohI must have a really nice, easy
high school career, but that'snot what it went.
And lacrosse is really one ofthose sports where and you know
this because you played it youcan see the character of a
person when they play lacrosse.
I mean, what positions did youplay for that?
Speaker 4 (13:04):
Ironically I was an attacker, so I scored the goals
and in soccer I defended thegoal.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
So your forearm just got hammered.
Yes exactly Part of being hereat West Ottawa.
Of course your wife is here,lauren.
What does she do here?
And that type of thing.
She was also a soccer player,correct she?
Speaker 4 (13:19):
was, yeah, high school counselor here.
She just started her third yearand she's primarily in the
north building here.
Travels to the south buildingas well.
Yeah, um, her college almamater was hope college, so she
played for hall of fame coach,coach sears, who just uh retired
.
So, um, that was roughly 20.
Uh, 2002 to 2006 is uh when sheplayed and she loved every you
(13:42):
almost look backwards toremember how long exactly right.
She loved it there too and, tobe honest, her connections to
Hope helped me become anassistant at Hope, because coach
Dave Brandt was looking for adependable goalkeeper assistant
when he got hired that role.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Is that dependable goalkeeper?
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (14:02):
And coach Sears, her former coach, knew me because I
helped the women's program oneyear as a goalkeeper assistant.
She recommended me to coachbrant.
Coach brant called me, knockedon the door and and that they're
that.
That started my time at hopecollege.
Speaker 2 (14:18):
So, anyway, my wife yeah, you asked about a wife,
but yeah, there's a lot ofpassions when you play sports.
Talking to your mom, your momand dad still love to play
soccer.
Right, tell me about that Well.
Speaker 1 (14:31):
I don't know why they still do my mom.
She's got her ACL surgery aswell.
We actually got it one yearapart, exactly by the same
doctor, dr Stewart.
I had my shoulder done by DrStewart.
Speaker 4 (14:42):
There you go.
Speaker 1 (14:43):
Yeah, Dr Stewart has done actually three surgeries on
me Really.
Speaker 4 (14:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
But they really like playing.
My dad was actually a semi-proplayer in Mexico.
I don't know if you guys reallyknow a lot of Mexican teams,
but he was in the.
They call it Fuerzas Básicas deNecaza.
That's where he played overthere.
Really he tried out andeverything, but he said it was
really hard.
It was really really hard.
So he decided to quit and hecame back wow, wow, I did not
(15:14):
know that was coming that'sreally cool.
Speaker 4 (15:16):
That's an awesome story.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
Really cool that that is part of your guys story.
That's incredible.
One part about looking at yourteam and learning about you is
you guys do a lot of stufftogether to build character.
So we have, I noticed back inthe day with all Hamilton, you
did car washes, you did all thattype of stuff, but you've also
done some things at the GatewayMission, andrew, can you speak
to that a little bit?
Speaker 1 (15:37):
Yeah, I feel like that was a great, great helping
experience, because not only arewe giving back to the community
, but we're also bonding as ateam.
We're helping each other, we'rehelping other people that need
help.
They even told us that they'rereally grateful because we did
work that they wouldn't completein two weeks.
We did work that like aphenomenal work.
(16:00):
Yeah, in one hour.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Yeah, in one hour and helped save them two weeks
worth of work.
Yeah, that was great to hear.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Yeah, one hour and help save them two weeks worth
of work.
Yeah, that was great to hearCoach maybe talk to, I guess,
kind of the influence there andwhy you kind of reach for those
opportunities or look for thoseopportunities to provide your
guys.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
Zar knows this too, but they're constantly hearing
me say win at everything, win ateverything, and that's winning
on the soccer field.
We all want to win right on thescoreboard, but multiple other
ways that are more important.
So winning in the community,giving back, like Zahar just
said.
Winning with relationshipsthese guys have constant
opportunities with brothers onthe team that I've matched them
(16:38):
up with, a partner that theymight not know all that well,
but they just are constantlytrying to connect in terms of
relationships.
Winning in the classroom I meanwe have, as Zah, our kind of got
into it, but, um, these guyscan't be failing a class like
not even one class during theseason, or else they can't play
the next game until they theyget that grade up.
So winning in the classroomstudent before athlete and just
(16:58):
winning.
Also, just informally, we haveteam dinners.
You know I hosted them for ateam dinner at our house.
We have a couple other familiesthey're gonna host.
We had a a little sand soccertournament this past Saturday
where we had a meal afterwardsprovided by a couple of our
families.
So just just winning in the fundepartment too it's not always
business.
A little bit of pleasure tojust multiple ways that we can
(17:18):
win and I think it's helping usright now.
It's early in the season andyou know we're two, one and one.
Right now We've got some biggerfish to fry coming up right,
our rivals with Grand Haven andRockford and Holland.
Speaker 1 (17:31):
That's a team goal, right?
Speaker 4 (17:32):
Yeah, we've got to beat Holland this year, that's
for sure and not to look pastour non-conference game next
Tuesday.
But Grand Haven is a huge gamenext Thursday at home.
Yeah, all the winning ateverything is intentional work
that we do to have success inmultiple facets.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Something else that's been intentional on your part
that I don't know how much youmay have heard, but shortly
after you sent the rosters ofyour teams to all of the
teachers in the building, myinbox was flooded Teachers,
counselors, principals, reachingout to me and saying I wish
(18:12):
more of our coaches did this, tothe point that we're actually
going to create a document inthe athletic department to send
out.
We're going to call it theTyler Robinson spreadsheet.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
No, please don't.
I think I've already madeenough enemies.
Coaches are rolling their eyes.
You just created more work forme, tyler Robinson, I don't.
I think I've already madeenough enemies.
Coaches are rolling their eyes.
You just created more work forme.
Tyler Robinson, I don't evenknow you.
Speaker 3 (18:31):
The good thing is, we're not going to make them do
it, we're actually going to doit.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
Oh, that's sweet, thank you, we're going to pull
their rosters from Final Forms.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
But we've had teachers reach out and the
reason they is as and you know,as a classroom teacher now, as a
classroom teacher, I know allof the kids and what sports
they're in and I know, oh, theyhad a game last night, so maybe
that's why his energy is lowhere in first hour.
(18:59):
It's that, that sort of thingthat you've kind of, I guess,
helped them to understand whereall their kids are coming from
so appreciate that and love thatyou did that.
Can I just add a little bit tothat, just to brag about my guys
a little bit.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
I got some responses too from teachers and not just
teachers, but counselors andadmin and a few of them were
pointed positive messages abouta couple of my guys that have
been rock stars in the classroom, and one in particular, chris
Mora.
I don't think he'd mind metalking about him because, yeah,
he's just a stud Like oneteacher.
(19:35):
Three paragraphs worth of thisis why I love Chris Mora so much
, and it was largely justimprovement from his earlier
formative years and he's justlike totally turned the page and
he's a captain of ours now too,with czar and he's and that's
his teammates lauding him.
I didn't pick the captains, andit's partly what he's done in
the classroom and and and peoplejust respect that and obviously
(19:58):
teachers respect that.
So we gave him a shout out theother day when, uh, when I got
that email so interesting thatyou bring up chris.
Speaker 3 (20:05):
Yeah, so, as I'm leaving the game on Tuesday
night, I stop and I see EliPaquette.
Eli runs campus safety and hegoes.
Holy cow.
Chris Mora, what a kid.
That is what West Ottawa wasabout.
Didn't have the greatest start,but he was able to change and
make some changes in his lifeand now he's getting accolades
and people are like look at thiskid Yep Sc life and now he's
(20:28):
getting you know accolades andpeople are like look at this kid
.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
Yep scored it scored a great goal for us early in the
second half against granville,and then, and then, like the
seal was broken, and then czargets his goal and yeah, and he's
.
So he's doing well in thesoccer field, but more
importantly, he's just a rockstar off of it.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
So sorry, you had a huge smile on your face and they
were talking about him uh, yeah, so we go way back, like we
grew up with each other actually, and like I remember when he
couldn't play his sophomore year, um, because of his grades he
didn't want to go to summerschool, um, but last couple
years he's been doing really,really good with his grades and
keeping up, like with hisattendance and everything.
(21:01):
So he, he's gone a long waythat's such an encouraging part
of sports.
Speaker 2 (21:05):
We always talk with coaches and we're doing this for
our kids, doing that for ourkids.
That's tangible, right In ahuman being's life.
A coach sees it, an AD sees it,and the biggest smile came from
a friend who sees it right.
Yep.
Speaker 4 (21:19):
You know, right, and it's winning in the relationship
department.
So Car is super close with them.
But some of my sophomores andjuniors who don't have the
relationship yet with Chris, nowit's like there's another
connection, like I want to belike Chris and it's, and now
I've got a relationship becauseI've heard success stories and
(21:40):
maybe they're struggling in acertain class or whatever, even
behaviorally, and like it's theChris Moore effect, right, and
so it's just helping the wholejust naming things after.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
Yeah, exactly, sorry, chris moore effect, I put you
in the evil villain category.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
You could be a good guy.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
Let's talk about the culture here at west auto a
little bit.
What's so unique?
One of the unique things aboutwest auto is how the the
demographics here.
We have people from tons ofdifferent cultures, tons of
different backgrounds as a coachcoming in here and this is kind
of a little add-on to that, butsoccer also, it breathes
differently from every countrythat it's played in.
(22:21):
Right, can you just speak toboth of those things a little
bit?
Maybe, coach, you go first andthen Andrew can go next?
Speaker 4 (22:25):
Sure, can you just speak to both of those things a
little bit.
Maybe, coach, you go first andthen Angie can go next.
Sure, I mentioned earlier inthe podcast that my wife and I
we really live in the Hollandcommunity Ever since I moved
from East Lansing.
I've lived in Holland for 23years because of the diversity,
because of the worldview ofHolland, and it's no offense to
previous employers because theytreated me well.
(22:46):
It's a great community there.
It's just not.
It's not this community, um, uh, and just to be immersed in it
now and now in a circle soccerculture, that selfishly is.
This is a soccer community andof course football, you know,
and other sports and you knowmuch respect to them.
But uh, I was salivating andlike super excited to be a part
(23:06):
of a soccer community and also aworld community and we happen
to have some talent too.
So and I knew I could have aneffect on the culture here too.
I just was confident in that.
So it's early, but I'm excitedand, zara, you can speak on that
stuff too.
Speaker 1 (23:25):
Yeah, so I mostly like the Wastato culture.
I like it's phenomenal, likethe kids here, like they're
amazing, like I like being mixedand everything.
And for the soccer team, likefootball team, like we're all
different, like, and I like thatbecause it makes us different,
makes us stand out like we.
I feel like we have reallygreat sports here.
(23:45):
So with different culturesinvolved, I feel like that makes
us even better.
Speaker 2 (23:51):
Let's go to the part where soccer is different from
different countries.
Right, you play in that OpenMen's Hispanic League in the
summertime.
Oh yeah, Give me the culturaldifference of playing in that
league.
What's that like for you?
Speaker 1 (24:05):
Okay, well, it depends and what division you
play.
So, for example, like, if youplay with the older people, um,
they're more like likely toinjure you um a little more
physical yeah, a little morephysical than normal um they
can't run with you.
Speaker 2 (24:21):
Yeah, because they can't run with you.
So there's reach.
Yeah, the old guys know how toplay older.
Speaker 1 (24:25):
Yeah, they do, yeah, but it's way different, Like
there's more yelling involved.
There's more like not like inWest Ottawa, it's like more calm
over there, it's more yelling,Like what are you doing?
Speaker 2 (24:47):
It's more like toxic.
I guess you would say I used tolive in Grand rapids um 20,
maybe 25 years ago and there wasa park near where I lived where
every sunday afternoon thehispanic league played.
Yeah, and boy was it loud, itwas talking.
The energy was high, it wasintense.
Speaker 4 (24:54):
Yeah, can I cut?
In my first five years livingin holland I got recruited I
can't remember why, but to playindoor soccer at the soccer spot
.
Did I tell you this?
Yeah and uh, it was an allhispanic league.
I was a goalkeeper.
Uh, indoor, um, you know thegame.
An indoor game is just likehigh flying, just balls
everywhere.
Probably one of the only, uh,non-native spanish speakers, so
(25:17):
a lot of language that I wasn'tunderstanding.
I know a little bit of spanishand you know serviceable, but it
was competitive, like wholefamilies would show up and
playing, banging on the boardslike it's a hockey game you know
um, and it was so fun.
Yeah, uh, and it really goodsoccer players.
Speaker 1 (25:34):
Oh yeah, really good soccer players they do play like
it's like the world cup, though, like every game, like they're
gonna win something big, likethey it was fun yeah.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Do you take any lessons from that when you play?
Speaker 1 (25:46):
yeah, like, um, like I feel like that that's gotten
me better, because like I feellike the older people and like I
just like how they play, likeespecially like I look up to my
dad, like, since he knows a lotof people around how old is your
dad right now.
My dad is currently 43.
Oh because?
Speaker 2 (26:04):
he can still hang in there.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
He's on that list.
Why don't you get to 47?
Speaker 1 (26:10):
Bill's 47 by the way, I figured that he still looks
young, though.
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Look at him, he still looks young.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
We gotta bring this guy back.
Special guest next episode.
Speaker 4 (26:23):
So your dad can still hang.
Speaker 1 (26:26):
He is getting slower on the slower end and he's not
hitting the ball as hard.
But guys that have gone throughhere, they still don't try
going Because he's a defender.
So they really don't try goingthrough him because they know
they can't and they've told itto him many times.
Speaker 4 (26:43):
They're all like why do you have to be on my side?
Why do you?
Speaker 1 (26:45):
have to guard me Because, like he's just, he's
just got the.
He doesn't got the speed, buthe's got the IQ of how to defend
he's physical like you are.
Speaker 3 (26:53):
Yeah, he's physical.
Yeah, that's one thing I'vealways loved about your game
watching you as you've kind ofcome up through the program over
the years.
Speaker 1 (27:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (27:00):
The physicality you play with.
I remember, as we were gettingready for interview process with
coach Robinson, and you walkedin and I was like man he is not
built like the traditionalsoccer player.
He looks like he can playlinebacker.
Speaker 1 (27:13):
Yeah, that's what they tell me a lot.
They're all like what sport doyou play?
And I'm like I play soccer.
And they're all like, dang, youlook pretty big for a soccer
player.
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 3 (27:21):
Yeah, when you came into the building today I was
like, okay, yeah, all right,we've got coach, maybe you can
talk to it a little bit, as I'vewatched us through the early
portion of the year one of thethings that really stands out to
me is the size that we have.
You've got.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
Garvalink, who is a big body.
He's a boss.
He's a boss who is a big body.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
Jonathan Kern, jonathan Kern.
Speaker 4 (27:43):
Yeah, jonathan Kern, really long Sonder.
Speaker 3 (27:46):
How does that the size and physicality that you're
able to bring, and then alsomixing in some of that small
quick speed that you have?
Speaker 4 (27:54):
Yeah, I think we've got a great combination of a lot
of things and since day onewhen I was hired, we were in the
weight room as much as we couldbe with Frank and Frank's an
awesome, awesome support for usup in the up in the weight room,
so he has set our guys up forsuccess.
I was intentionally in theweight room with the guys as
much as I could be this summeras well.
(28:15):
We had pretty good attendance.
In that regard, that definitelyhelped.
We're trying to stay in theweight room a little bit during
the season to maintain stuff.
So that's been helpful.
And I'm trying to sell it tosome of our guys, like myself,
having been in the college gameat division three, at division
one.
That's what those guys do too.
They're constantly in theweight room.
It doesn't make you slower, itdoesn't make you, you know, more
(28:37):
sluggish, it's power and it'sexplosion and that's soccer, and
so it's helping us.
I think we more help with it but, um, uh, it's paid dividends
for sure, yeah yeah, I was justtalking.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
You know, frank and I ride to football games together
, so we spent a lot of time lastnight driving back forth the
grand ledge and he was kind ofgoing through some of the teams
that stand out to him as far asteams that have really embraced
the weight room and he spokevery highly of kind of the
soccer program and the changethat really has been made there
and the way that the guys areacting in the weight room.
(29:11):
Right, you come in and you'relocked in czar.
What do you, I guess, talkabout your experience in the
weight room and and just beingaround, frank, and kind of the
workouts and that sort of thingand maybe how that's helped you
on the field?
Speaker 1 (29:23):
yeah, for sure.
So I like frank frank givesthat energy.
Like helped you on the field.
Yeah, for sure.
So I like frank frank givesthat energy, like he he's always
like come on, like this isgonna help you.
Like it does help you.
Like it it has helped me likecrazy.
Like it helps you with notgetting injured.
Um playing better, being morephysical than other teams.
It helps you just overall as aplayer.
Um makes you look better itkeeps you in fit.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
When you have those workouts at the beach, you're
like, yeah, we'll work out atthe beach.
Speaker 4 (29:51):
I'm glad that was like fourth on your list for
reasons to work out because?
Yeah, because there are moreimportant things, like you
mentioned.
Speaker 2 (29:59):
Well, let's talk about Azar a little bit.
You know, whenever somebodycomes on the podcast, I always
give him credit just for comingon.
Yeah, because it's not theeasiest thing to do, coach.
Let's talk about this guy.
Let's talk about some of hisunique talents and gifts.
When I talked to Alex Sliderabout you, he had so many
positive things to say.
One of them was a utilityplayer, which we'll get into
(30:22):
because I want to come up with adifferent term for that.
It's almost a backhandedcompliment in a way, but there's
, I mean, it's one of therichest things you can have as a
coach.
You know that.
Speaker 4 (30:31):
Talk about this guy to me, to us yeah, so I'm gonna
use I'm gonna use a differentterm multi-tooled, multi-skilled
, okay.
So yeah, versatile as well, Imean a guy that can master
different positions and bedependent on in those positions.
Speaker 2 (30:48):
So hard to pull off.
Speaker 4 (30:48):
Yeah, not just to fill in, but somebody okay,
so-and-so's sick today.
Plug Czar in there, so-and-so'sdealing with an injury.
I think Czar could be a centerback.
That speaks to him.
I mean, he clearly has soccerexperience and he's a great
leader vocally and I realizedthat probably in the interview
process when you were in on myinterview.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
But are you drilling coach with questions in the
interview?
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Yeah, kind of One of the questions?
Speaker 4 (31:15):
Yeah, or at least one .
So he brings a lot of toolsthat's why I say multi-tooled
person and he's just a good dudeoff the field, which is more
important as well, so it helpshim on the field as well.
Speaker 2 (31:31):
What particular things do you feel you bring to
the team yourself?
Speaker 1 (31:35):
Well, I feel like I bring.
I can be more positive thannegative sometimes, but I try to
be more positive.
Good problem I feel like Ibring positivity to the team and
I definitely bring more.
How would you say I push theteam to become better,
especially in the weight room,since I lift probably the
(31:56):
heaviest in the weight room.
I want kids to be more stronger, more physical.
When they see me doing workouts, I try to help them out and
like I try pushing them to theirlimit.
So I try, I try pushing thekids harder, especially since
it's my senior year.
I want to see them grow andbecome better players and I want
to see them.
If we don't win states thisyear or um conference, hopefully
(32:19):
they'll win it next year.
I want them to win something.
Wistado hasn't won somethingfor soccer in a very, very long
time, so maybe this year will bethe year, hopefully, but if not
, I want next year to be prettystrong.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Being the player that does these multi-positions, you
have to be very cerebral.
Yeah, do you find that?
Do you see the game that waymentally?
Speaker 1 (32:40):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 2 (32:41):
Not everybody has that.
Speaker 1 (32:42):
Yeah, um, like going back to my dad, he's always
taught me how to play.
I've been playing since I wasthree years old.
So I I started really reallyyoung um, and since he has that
defensive minded um, so likehe's always taught me about
defense.
I I did play center back when Iwas younger, though that's what
I used to play center back,center defensive, mid and um and
(33:02):
striker sometimes.
So, um, you kind of just see thefield a little bit different,
you see the openings and sincehaving, I guess, a Mexican dad,
he was way more stricter, likeespecially when I wouldn't play
good or like stuff like that.
So that's how I learned.
I learned kind of like the hardway, like my dad really wasn't
like, oh, you got this.
Next time he was all like whydidn't you do this, why didn't
(33:29):
you do this, why didn't you dothat?
So like hard love, yeah, hardlove.
So he kind of taught me um tolook at the openings, how to
look at the field, open thefield, um, don't pass here,
because then the attacker isgoing to come, or stuff like
that.
Speaker 2 (33:36):
So he's kind of taught me like the ropes it is
probably one of the toughestthings to teach as a coach is
that cerebral part.
A lot of the young kids todayjust get caught up in all the
physicality right and those areall good variables I'm going to
get stronger, I'm going to befaster but that cerebral part,
as a coach, I mean, that's whatyou're doing, basically yep, um.
How hard is that to teach yeah,and it's and how is it?
(33:58):
How nice is it not to have to?
Speaker 4 (34:00):
yeah, correct.
Uh, you know it goes back tothe.
It's the soccer community.
Here I've already got guys thathave played a ton of soccer in
various contexts, like some ofour guys are in high level clubs
that are pretty well structured.
Other guys are a high levelclub and the Sunday night
leagues and a lot of them gettogether on their own and just
(34:21):
play pickup like open fieldstuff, so they know soccer.
So to not have to teach that andto teach more of like the macro
things, like structure, teamstructure and team shape and
cultural things, and spend moretime on that intentionally and
not all the soccer IQ stuff, hashelped us already kind of maybe
hopefully skip a few steps inthe process of building
(34:45):
something great, great here Iwant to say too that czar I
don't know if we mentioned thishe's, he's a team captain of
ours, so, um, not onlymulti-tooled and multi-skilled,
but he has his, the respect fromhis teammates because he earned
their votes.
And I when, when they vote forcaptains, they have to uh write
and this is all anonymous tooand I only see it, but they
write reasons why they pick eachof the players that they pick,
(35:06):
and common comments for Zar wasthat he's vocal, he's positive,
gets along with everybody, he'shigh soccer IQ and just like
good holistic, all-around dudestuff, which makes him a good
captain.
So I wanted to make sure thatgot in there too.
Speaker 2 (35:22):
So good, wholesome all-around dude stuff.
Speaker 4 (35:25):
Love it it's a lot to live up to now.
Zark, every day, man, he'salready doing it and that's why
we're talking about it right.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
As a coach, too, there's all these different
styles to play.
This is a bit of a mosaic.
What is your style as a coach?
What are some specific thingsthat you teach Because every
coach has this where you do acouple things, probably where
you say I know people aren'tdoing this and this is what I
like to teach.
Can you speak to?
Speaker 4 (35:47):
that I can.
Yeah, we have six team goalsthat are all measurable and
specific and attainable.
You know SMART goals that wecall them.
Three of them are actuallygoals that I've infused and I
think the guys have bought into.
But I want my teams to beskilled.
So like keep the ball, I meanmean don't hold the ball, but
keep it, like possession.
So we track possession everygame.
(36:08):
Like we want to have the ballmore than the other team and
there's a way that we keep trackof that.
And we, uh we reflect aftereach game did we have time of
possession?
How'd we do?
So, keep the ball.
Uh, so that's one of the three.
Another one of the three is uh,win the.
So win the 50-50 battle.
So any loose balls, we'll seehow much it gets.
At least it gets more than theother team.
(36:29):
So, aggressive, and we can keeptrack of that.
They're called offensivetransitions on huddles, so we
have stats for that.
And then also just disciplined,and we need to be way better in
that category.
So, winning the foul andpenalty battle every game.
We're still learning some.
We're taking our lumps on that.
Um gave up a bad goal the otherday at the end of the game
(36:50):
because of a penalty, and so weneed to be more disciplined, not
not passive on the field, butfind the balance between
aggressive and reckless.
And we're just not there yetand we're getting there.
So there's that, uh, and weplay a 4-4-2 tight diamond, and
this is soccer lingo, you guysI'm gonna go back to ted lasso,
episode seven, season two, lbr.
Speaker 2 (37:10):
Yeah, exactly uh.
Speaker 4 (37:12):
It's maybe a shape they're not used to.
They're getting used to it too,but we have.
We have a phrase called sevenup, where we always have seven
players forward every attackinguh situation.
So one of our defenders isalways getting forward and
joining into the play always.
That's like a.
You have to do this every playand that's maybe different than
what we're used to, but we havesome good outside defenders that
(37:33):
are getting up in the attackthat are helping us.
You know Jono and Chico andJosh Morales, and and and.
So it's working.
We just need to be more, moreconsistent with it.
Speaker 3 (37:42):
Yeah that's definitely something I've
noticed.
Just, you know I've got towatch a couple of games now and
just we seem way more aggressivegetting into the offensive zone
than we have in years past, andit's, I mean, maybe not always
resulting in in goals, but we'regetting tons of chances on cage
and the more chances you get,the more goals you're going to
(38:03):
score right, and that's going tostart finding the net as the
season moves forward.
Speaking of goals.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
You do a great job of posting on your social media on
Instagram it's woesoccer1,correct.
Speaker 4 (38:14):
Yeah, woesoccer1.
Speaker 2 (38:15):
And one is just the number itself.
That first goal of the seasonyou guys had against Jenison, I
believe.
Oh yeah, this was cool as a big, as a soccer fan.
This doesn't happen to happen.
There was four straight onetouches yeah, to score that goal
yeah tell me about that, so gowatch it.
If you're watching this headover there, watch this, for one
touch, go ahead so I was on thesideline because I couldn't play
(38:36):
since I was injured.
Speaker 1 (38:37):
this, um, I think yesterday, no two days ago, was
my first game back, so firstgoal opener.
But anyways, jenison, it wassecond half, I believe, correct.
Speaker 4 (38:51):
Yeah, we were down 1-0.
Speaker 1 (38:53):
Yeah we were down 1-0 .
It went in from Nate Ward toJaden to Colton and then he just
volleyed it in.
It was an absolutely banger.
It was.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
First goal of the season.
Speaker 1 (39:06):
I mean, that was a great way to start.
Speaker 4 (39:08):
I mean, unfortunately we gave up a goal about five
minutes later to lose that game,even though we should have won
that game with chances.
But it was a good way to startand clearly we have some
offensive firepower.
I mean, colton's a defensiveplayer by trade and for him to
bang that in that was prettysick.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
Was he the out?
Well, he wasn't the out.
Defense wouldn't have been thatfar out.
Speaker 4 (39:28):
At the time yes, because we were trying to press
for a goal.
We were down 1-0, so we changedour shape and we were in a
forwarded attacking shape and so, by design, he was forward.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
And so luckily he was , and, yeah, it was skilled,
skilled goal.
What's encouraging about thatas a fan of sports is it feels
nowadays in a lot of differentsports well, the ball has come
to me, now it's my turn to do mything, right, yeah, it's a lot
of sports, so it's my turn to domy thing.
That was not that like.
That was the instantaneous offmy foot to the next guy was yeah
, it's so well and it's it'svery playful.
(40:05):
First of all, which is awonderful part of soccer, if you
will, is that playful part, butthe unselfishness on that and
the beauty of the goal is justtremendous.
Speaker 1 (40:13):
You described it great.
Yeah, it was an absolutely goodgoal.
Speaker 2 (40:18):
Not as good as your header against Granville.
Speaker 1 (40:20):
No, it was even better.
I'll give him that that was areally good goal.
Speaker 4 (40:31):
First game.
Really good goal for firstfirst game really good goal.
Uh, props to colton shoemaker.
So yeah, it was fun.
It was just fun to watch, but,like you're alluding to, soccer
is a total team game.
So if that ball wasn't, I thinkmitchell gonzalez is the one
that played it to to nate, nateto chico yeah, chico to colton
and so that's, that's four guystouching it.
I mean, colton gets the YouTubehighlights, but it's it comes
down to like four or five, sixguys yeah, just that vision, and
I just remember looking at itand watching that play.
Speaker 2 (40:53):
Everybody had their head up.
I just watched it because I'mlike everyone's head is up, like
no one's down looking at theirfeet.
Everyone's up, it's just.
This was fun.
It's fun to look at.
Speaker 3 (41:02):
We'll kind of start to get things wrapped up here.
But, coach, I want to talk realquick on kind of we're into the
season now, a couple of gamesunder our belt.
We've got, obviously, a biggame Thursday, not looking past
Tuesday night, nope.
But kind of, what are yourexpectations now that you've
kind of gotten into it, gottenthrough a couple of games,
seeing what you guys are capableof?
(41:22):
Yep?
Speaker 4 (41:24):
I'm hoping and maybe Zara can speak more on this as a
player perspective, but I'mhoping that more and more guys
if not all of them have boughtin that we can be something
special, not just on the fieldbut off the field and winning in
all those departments.
So having success and tangibleresults, being 2-1-1, undefeated
in the OK Red thus far is it's.
(41:45):
It's good.
It's not good enough.
Yet we're gonna play muchbetter competition coming up, so
grand haven looming on thursday.
You know that's one of our teamgoals to beat our rivals.
They're one of them after wehopefully take care of business
on tuesday.
Um, like I said, bigger fist tofry, it's gonna be.
We gotta be way moredisciplined because we're just
too loosey, goosey and justthrowing our body around dumbly
(42:08):
and if we keep doing that we'regoing to hurt ourselves.
So if we can solve that issue,I think that'll be maybe the
most important step for us.
But time will tell.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Yeah, for sure, for sure, time will tell, but
definitely like we need to bemore disciplined.
I feel like in all aspects wecould be a little bit better at
everything for sure, like how hesaid, we just need to be more
disciplined, I guess, on thefield, outside the field, just
being on time everywhere ingeneral, Including nutrition and
sleep.
Speaker 4 (42:36):
Including nutrition yeah, coach Alex gave the guys a
huge, really helpful likehere's how to treat your body
better.
This is your homework.
Here's what to eat.
Here's what to eat, here's whatto drink, here's what to sleep,
I mean.
And hopefully these guys buyinto it.
But they're also high schoolboys, so we'll see if they
actually follow through.
Right.
Speaker 3 (42:52):
Zarm, you'll follow through, right, yeah, for sure,
for sure.
You mentioned alex and I'd beremiss if we didn't at least hit
on kind of the structure ofyour coaching staff, really,
from the freshmen all the way up, getting someone like larry de
leon to come in and coach ourfreshmen, who has been a part of
the soccer community at westottawa for decades.
Right, having that youthfulenergy of nate garcia with our
(43:14):
jb I don't know that I've everseen anyone more positive on a
sideline in any sport.
Like his energy is off the wall, correct?
Uh, every time I see him he isfired up.
Yeah, and then, having thehaving the experience of Alex
joining you on the varsity staffnot only his experience as
coach but his experience withall of our players and kind of
(43:34):
what.
That's how that's kind ofhelped you as you've
transitioned in the new gig.
Speaker 4 (43:39):
I got hired in late February.
I sat down for coffee for anhour and a half with Alex, uh,
about a week later, um, andpicked his brain and took notes
and uh, he and just, and, and hehad been up like the whole
previous night with his newbornand so he I mean that just
speaks to Alex and his, his, hisexperience at West Ottawa and
(44:03):
knowing the boys like intimatelyand about them as people helped
me hit the ground runningimmediately.
So he has been invaluable andto have him on the sideline and
part of training, he's just kindof a floating assistant now.
So you know he helped JVyesterday at practice and he's
on the sidelines of multipleteams.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
He's just been tremendous that's a really cool
position, by the way.
Speaker 4 (44:25):
A floating assistant at all three levels that's a
nice, nice little thread right,he was yeah, yeah, and he's been
great yep all right that's allcourtesy of the union and
negotiations with schedule b
Speaker 2 (44:38):
contracts, get those positions created so well, this
is going to be fun.
If you're listening to thispodcast and you don't go to
soccer, come out.
It's fall right the.
The leaves are going to change.
We all know how great soccergets in late September, early
October.
That's really fun, Bestfacility around.
Speaker 4 (44:59):
Yeah, you like playing there, oh gosh.
Speaker 1 (45:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (45:10):
Like kid in a kids in a candy store.
Every day we go there.
Yeah, it's just amazing.
Yeah, can I say one more thingabout the 29 one?
Yeah, yeah, this is amazing andit speaks to my experience in
the last number of months Um,the, the, the amount of support
I've gotten from fellow coaches,um, assistants, uh, former
coaches, current coaches hasmade my transition so much
easier.
Uh, and that speaks to thecommunity.
I know we talked about thediversity of the community, but
just to have the diversity ofsports and coaches, like rooting
(45:31):
for each other and like we aretruly one team, has been on top
of all the other amazing thingsthat I've experienced here as a,
thus far, a teacher and a coach.
The athletic community is barnone.
It's, it's been amazing.
So I want to make sure I've gotthat plug in there, because, go
, whoa, I love to hear that.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
Yeah, and it's nice.
I think it's.
We talked about this a littlebit on the site.
It's like you guys are soinvolved with your teams.
We all think coaches all talkto each other.
You don't always get the chanceto do that, so this is an
opportunity where we can listento each other pick.
So this is an opportunity wherewe can listen to each other
pick some things up.
You know all that kind of stuff, so that's really great.
So thanks for doing this, guys.
Yeah, this is awesome.
Thank you.
Well, I am looking forward tothe season, but, more
(46:10):
importantly, I'm looking 15years down the road when I get
that action figure from Zar.
Yep.
Speaker 4 (46:16):
Zar the.
Speaker 1 (46:17):
Evil Zar, and I want to add one little phrase.
Speaker 2 (46:19):
I do know one phrase phrase.
This one of my good friendsplayed some high level soccer
back in the day and he played ona ethnic team, but it was a
bunch of iris dudes.
So I went to one of his gamesand all game was keep the ball
on the floor, lads.
Yeah, keep the ball on the floorlads yep, and that's what they
yelled the entire game.
So, yeah, it has been super funsitting with you guys.
You guys are both great energy.
(46:41):
It's nice to meet you, uh, andI look forward to just knowing
you throughout the rest of thisyear.
Coach, it's been great meetingyou.
Czar, you too, dude, you are.
You got it going on, man.
You got a nice future.
The energy you got, man.
I tell you what.
Speaker 3 (46:56):
You guys will hear his voice over the intercom.
A couple of games here thisyear Rodney's sitting in.
Speaker 4 (47:01):
Oh for soccer, sure For soccer.
Speaker 3 (47:02):
Do the announcing and run the scoreboard and stuff.
Speaker 2 (47:05):
That's awesome.
I might throw Evil Villain justin early.
Speaker 4 (47:09):
It's going to be an alter ego because there's no
Hulk, andrew by day.
Yeah, all right.
Speaker 2 (47:16):
I probably took that one a little too far.
That's okay, Thanks everybodyfor joining and being, and we'll
see you guys out on the pitch,lads.
Speaker 4 (47:22):
Thank you very much, guys.
Thanks, man, we'll see you.
Speaker 2 (47:26):
Thank you.
Speaker 3 (47:44):
If you have enjoyed listening to the 29 one podcast,
be sure to like and subscribe.
You can find us on Spotify,apple, no-transcript.
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