Juarez hired at Estancia
Josh Juarez grew up in Huntington Beach, but not too far from Estancia High.
“[I was] right down Adams Street from the school,” Juarez said. “Right over that riverbed.”
Juarez will be returning to the school this winter. He’s the new girls’ soccer coach at Estancia, co-athletic director Nate Goellrich announced Thursday.
“I’m excited and blessed for the opportunity,” Juarez said. “Over the last two weeks the administration and everyone who works at Estancia has been very welcoming. It seems like a family atmosphere over there, and being part of that is something that I’m really excited about.”
Juarez, 31, is a Fountain Valley resident. He is currently the men’s assistant coach at Hope International University, a position he plans to keep as that season is in the fall. He is also an experienced club coach, in his second year with the CDA Slammers.
He takes over at Estancia for Jessica Perry, who resigned after seven years on July 22 after she was not offered a teaching position for the upcoming school year. The Eagles made the CIF playoffs every season under Perry and won four Orange Coast League titles, sharing the league crown in 2014-15 with Calvary Chapel.
“I know they’ve had a lot of success,” said Juarez, who will be a walk-on coach. “Everything I’ve heard is that we have a good group of girls and a good program. I’m definitely excited for our upcoming season and getting involved at the school.”
Juarez was formerly the boys’ head coach at Westminster, where in 2012-13 he led the Lions to the first Golden West League title in program history. He is also formerly an assistant coach at Golden West College.
He is familiar with at least one of the Eagles. Juarez is the club coach of Lexi Osso, an emerging incoming sophomore forward who played on junior varsity last year. On the JV team, she had 24 goals and nine assists and was named the team’s Offensive MVP.
“She’s a fun player to coach, and a hard-working player,” Juarez said. “If she’s any indication of what the other players at Estancia are like, it’ll be a lot of fun coaching all of them.”
Goellrich wrote in an email that he was excited to get an experienced coach like Juarez on-board at Estancia.
“I feel he is a strong addition to our coaching staff here at Estancia High School,” Goellrich wrote. “His coaching background at the high school/collegiate level will help continue to build on the success of the girls program.”
