Ukiah high soccer training and contact
If you follow more than Manchester United and Liverpool in the English Premier League, or Wolfsburg in the Germany Bundesliga, or Bologna in the Italy Serie A; and local futbol is important to your sports’ mental health, then perhaps you noticed the graphic depiction of the new UHS allweather soccer and sports field complex with lights in the February 27-UDJ. Currently, this project, which was funded by the passage of the March 2020 ballot, General Obligation Bonds has survived the design review process and is set for environmental review. Community review was in early March.
Now, don’t assume this state-of-the-art lighted complex is a done deal. We’re talking about a major break through here by supporters of local soccer but in California, any building project is examined more deeply than a trial Johnson and Johnson vaccine discovery; submitted to interminable reviews and paperwork and checks and balances for the entire population and by the time things are rolling forward, your junior soccer fanatics in the front room may well be in their mid40’s. Just take note of the stream of businesses and people headed out of our golden state, due to delays and official-dom.
However, uhshead soccer mogul and cheerleader, Shane Huff is excited: “We’ll be the only soccer field in the region that is 75×116, flat and lighted. The football field has been dangerous and inadequate for a real soccer contest. Ukiahi Stadium is only 60 yards wide and worn out between the hash marks and frequently water soaked during the winter and near “mosh pits.” We’ll also have two 99 yard fields parallel to the primary field for 11-12 year olds to play on. All too often, we were relegated to the basketball asphalt courts without lights for training.”
“There will be much more excitement about the game, where more and more kids will be proud to play on our team, represent their high school, have a distinctive program with amenities! Right now, we have teams (girls born in 2008, 2009, 2010 and boys teams of 2008, 2009, 2011) that are very strong and are rolling over opponents. They are going to thrive with the new facilities. There are a few more hurdles, with the goal being that the complex may be built this summer. It’s great to look forward to this major soccer venue coming to Ukiah.”
Besides being hyper-optimistic about the arrival of the class venue, Huff has assembled quite a formidable cast of coaches for the high school and for the youth clubs.
Naomi Rhodes is the head women’s soccer coach, and played high school soccer in Ukiah a long time ago. “I played for Sharon Roth rock, then Dennis Pl a ci do and vicki webb as a senior; and played with Adrian eB ray at UHS. At the University of Oregon, I played club soccer the first two years, but then tried out for the varsity women’s team in my Junior year and made it! The big team! I remember Shane being home that summer before I was going to try out, and he helped me with a lot of training. I wasn’t the team captain or star for the Ducks, but having the experience was great!”
After college, Naomi coached with the Ukiah Pumas, then coached the Mendo College ladies, then got pregnant and had her second kid. “But, my husband
and I coached almost every season.” Coach Rhodes is also a Dean in the Counseling department at UHS, so she has her hands full.
Naomi enthusiastically supports the new approach that Huff has introduced for both men’s and women’s soccer at UHS. The teams are coached by the entire staff of 6. Here’s Rhodes: “Everybody is getting a similar education, a similar style of play, similar tactics and techniques and same expectations for the entire program. The changes came at the time of Covid and as I’ve transitioned to the high school, it seemed like a perfect fit.”
Rhodes is excited that 8 senior players are returning for the girls. “They are talented and it’s great to have a final season for them. I’m hopeful that they all come out for the team. It’s been a strange year, with crazy limitations, but perfect for implementing something new.” Naomi is very comfortable being on the pitch with the players, even though she has that “creaky body, after back surgery. “I look forward to all the relationship building on the team, and the strong connection we’ll have. My strength is the technical part of the game and fine tuning those skills.” She brings an easy going demeanor to the game, but wants to find her voice out there during the heat of competition.
Back from last year’s boys’ JV team is Felipe Chavez, who also is teaching Spanish for Spanish speakers at UHS (levels 2 and 3). He was a teacher last year at Pomolita. Also, joining the staff in 2021 are Hector Toscano, Pepe Hernandez, and Benito Sarabia (goalkeeper coach).
Coach Chavez played for Shane Huff at Mendo College before going to University of St. Mary at Leavenworth, Kansas. “I played at UHS, graduated in 2014, played soccer at Mendo and then for my bachelors’ at St. Mary, where I played two years.” Felipe played defensive center back all through his playing days, but as captain in his senior year was asked to take on outside back (“my bread and butter”) as well as midfielder. “I was more involved with how the teams worked and with a leadership role. It was a good experience.” Felipe brings youthfulness to the staff with his energy and enjoys competing with the players, running stride for stride with them. “Every once in a while, the kids like to see somebody run with them and compete as a coach. I’m staying fit, finishing my credential, and expecting a child at home soon.” He’s pumping the weights from 4:30 am each morning.
He addressed the fact that very few Latina girls go out for soccer at UHS. “Well, in my opinion, it is a cultural issue. My parents are open to soccer for my sister, but that’s not always the case. Others don’t have that opportunity; they don’t play. The girls are taught to prioritize other things growing up.” The reality is that the younger Latino parents are opting for their daughters to play the popular game, as evidenced by the club attendance of girls 3-13, practicing at Pomolita on Saturdays.
Chavez continued: “We’ve been practicing since the last weekend of October. We’ve had our ups and downs, with staying within pods and with health evaluations
every day. We’re up to three days of practice per week now. We do have 6 coaches so we can train many kids. Our 4 pods have about 14 kids each, and we consistently have about 30-40 who have shown up since October.”
Coach Huff added that it wasn’t until 1996 that Mexico put a women’s National Team in International competition. “The boys’ side is dominated by Latinos in Ukiah, because their dads play in the adult Liga and boys are expected to be dribbling the ball around when they just start walking. Anglos fathers influence their children to play sports they understand or played in their youth, like: football, baseball, and basketball.”
Huff is a full time teacher of PE at UHS and oversees the 4 soccer teams. He also is founder and a director for the MCSA (Mendocino
County Soccer Association). “We’re doing something a bit unconventional this year (at UHS) by having stations that both girls and boys visit for skill building. A defensive station where they learn one to one defending, pressure defending, pushing attackers away from the goal and working with our back 3 or 4. Coaches will be able to cover for each other with this model, if somebody is sick or out on leave.”
Coach Huff gave me a sample of his philosophy of soccer. “Kids are starting the game at a young age with the club level, and they’re getting used to playing a very active game; not a coach dominated game. Players are expected to move around and contribute. There aren’t a lot of timeouts to look at me for some play to run like baseball or basketball. It’s much more directed play in traditional sports and is sort of ‘coach centered.’ Our training environment creates habits, and style of play which is attractive to players. Their play isn’t constantly interrupted by coaches. Players are out there to determine what the outcome will be. Sometimes, you wish you could interrupt things to teach. With the staff at MCSA and UHS, we play soccer tennis, soccer volleyball, beach soccer, indoor soccer, 2 vs. 2; 3 vs. 3, 4 vs. 4. Kids love how active the sport is. There’s no standing around.”
It’s still difficult to dominate the Sonoma, Marin, Napa county teams for UHS, because of their entrenched training programs. For example, the Santa Rosa United club teams have been in existence for 40 years; Ukiah is just now in its 8th year. Huff addressed this, “they’re playing soccer year round with their highly developed club program downs there. Those are high level games they play, just with their experience. Our kids in the past just haven’t gotten as many touches with recreation and high school soccer. So, that’s what we’re trying to provide for Lake and Mendocino Counties….this great opportunity. I’m encouraged because locally the kids are coming in sharper and more fit, so we’re closing the gap between our program and the other more populated regions. Huff finished his remarks by saying that at this point, they’re not having too many problems with ‘the intense paparazzi’…..