Keeping the ball rolling

Three days a week, members of the Estancia High boys soccer team take a trip back in time.

For those three hours a day they look at how they used to be, a chance to shape the future with the experience of having already been there.

All five players ? senior Pedro Duarte, senior Luis Gallardo, sophomore Eric Duarte, senior Andreas Vallejo and freshman George Olivas ? attended Rea Elementary School where they played soccer.

Now they are taking an opportunity presented by Estancia Coach Coach Gannon Burks, who teaches at Rea and has coached that school’s teams in the Pilot Cup for years. The Eagle players will get the chance to mold the players that will fill their shoes in the years to come by preparing them for the Pilot Cup. It is the second year Burks has had players on his high school team help coach the players on his teams at Rea.

“As long as I stay the coach at Rea, we’ll keep doing this,” Burks said.

For three weeks they have been coming to practice to run drills, play soccer and pass on knowledge of the game to the next generation. If they are slightly late, a rare occasion, the elementary schoolers are quick to ask if they will be there at all.

“They see these high school players as role models,” Burks said.

With the Estancia players there, the Rea players get a chance to look ahead in time at what they could be if their dedication is sustained.

“I said to them, ‘Look at Pedro, he has tree trunks for legs. Flex your quad for them.’ They were all amazed,” Burks said. “I hope they are doing this because they like me and like these boys. I know they want to give back.”

Pedro Duarte, the Golden West League Most Valuable Player, understands these kids will have temptations growing up and soccer will give them a positive outlet.

“I like helping out the kids to grow up to be a better person and stay off the streets,” Pedro Duarte said.

Pedro and Eric Duarte also have an opportunity to mold their little brother Alex, a fifth-grader who is on the top team.

“Mom loves it,” said Pedro Duarte, who wants to be a soccer coach. “[Alex Duarte] sees that it’s a great challenge. We get on him. We’re actually pretty even. It’s all equal. It feels good to get some experience. I like to learn from coach.”

One of the prime pieces of knowledge the Estancia players pass along is that hard work pays off.

“We had to tell them it’s about whoever has the most conditioning,” Eric Duarte said. “When it gets to the final minutes, it gets interesting. They have the potential to go far and win. I’m pretty sure I’ll come out next year.”

The Estancia players have witnessed improvement by Rea players.

“They are not confident at first,” Pedro Duarte said. “Once you get them working together, they get confident and let loose. We make practice fun. I love the game of soccer. I love being out there coaching.”

With the extra coaching Rea hopes to claim its sixth straight fifth- and sixth-grade boys’ title.

“The reason they’re good is dedication and discipline,” Burks said. “Once you get the ball rolling, we have to keep the ball rolling. It’s a phenomenon over here. I’m blessed to see it.”

Rea returns goalie Rudy Reyes, who stopped three shots last season when the semifinal game went to penalty kicks. Carlos Moreno scored four goals in the championship game last year and center midfielder Carlos Becerra also has championship-game experience.

The younger brother of Estancia’s Edgar Rodriguez, Victor joins the team as a fifth-grader and the smallest player. The younger Rodriguez, said to be fearless, will be the team’s defensive stopper.

Alex Duarte and Vicente Lopez are two more fifth-grade midfielders with skills.