Letter to the Editor: AHS Girls’ Soccer Team
On Sept. 5, the girls’ head coach, Armando Gutierrez, resigned. Gutierrez didn’t just teach the girls soccer; he taught the girls how to give back to the community, helped them individually and is overall a good coach.
The team has given back to the community by helping at a toy drive on Christmas Eve in a hospital. They knitted beanies and passed out them out to the patients. The girls also donated clothes to Goodwill. Gutierrez wanted to make sure they not only developed on the field, but also off the field. He taught the girls how to work together, get along and help others.
Gutierrez has helped every single one of his players individually. He is always encouraging his players to do better for their future. Gutierrez has taken the soccer team to visit colleges such as UCLA. When anyone seemed to be unhappy, he would approach the player and ask if everything was okay. Gutierrez was always concerned and made sure the minds of his players were clear so they could focus on the game. If any of the soccer girls had any problems, they would feel confident enough to vent their problems, not only to the coach but to the soccer family as well.
Gutierrez is an incomparable coach. He has changed the girls’ soccer program around for the better. Last year, the girls’ varsity team went undefeated, an accomplishment that hadn’t been achieved in over 30 years. Last season, the girls’ varsity team won against rival Ramona Convent for the first time in over eight years. Gutierrez has helped the girls go to CIF four years in a row. Did you know Gutierrez was nominated for “Coach of the Year” nationwide? Gutierrez always tells his players motivating speeches after practice. His speeches have encouraged the girls to try harder and never give up. Yes, Gutierrez is strict on the girls during practice, but it pays off during the games. The girls in the soccer program love their coach.
Many may think he can be replaced, but honestly, Coach Gutierrez means more to the soccer girls because he is family. The girls feel they are undervalued as a program by the school because an administrator was not present at the first day of tryouts even though there was no head coach and tryouts had not been canceled. Mr. Nguyen states it was because of miscommunication. After only one day of practice without their head coach, the program has already begun to change. The girls’ soccer team hopes that Coach Gutierrez will be able to return. Many girls will be dropping out if Gutierrez is not the varsity girls’ coach. The number of girls enrolled in athletics will drastically decline, which will then affect the number of male athletes due to Title IX.
-AHS Girls’ Soccer Team