November 2015

Harlingen native sisters join forces again at UTRGV

Sisters Erica and Arnelle Gonzalez both help to make up UTRGV women’s soccer tough defensive front. Last year was the first year the two sisters weren’t playing together as Erica was a goalkeeper in the first-ever UTPA women’s soccer team and Arnelle, a defender, was still in Harlingen South High School.

Learning that Arnelle, who was her team’s MVP and earned second team District 32-6A accolades her senior year in high school, would join her in the UTRGV women’s soccer team was good news for Erica.

“When I found out my sister made the team I was very excited,” Erica said. “I’ve been playing with her since I was in third grade, so it’s unusual not having her on my team.” Having played together for so long has helped the sisters have a thorough understanding of how one another plays, and how to best work with each other out on the field.

“We give each other a certain look and we know what we’re gonna do,” Arnelle said. “I guess that’s sort of a sister relationship.”

UTRGV Men’s Soccer junior goalkeeper Leo Castillo didn’t really choose his position… his position chose him.
“My brother (Eduardo) used to always put me in between two trees back at home and start shooting free kicks on me,” he said.

A few years later, when Leo was 12, the goalkeeper of his club soccer team in Katy, TX got injured, and it was also Eduardo who decided that his little brother would take the goalkeeper spot for the rest of the game.
“In the huddle at halftime, the coach asked who wanted to be in goal and my brother raised his hand and pointed at me and said, ‘he’s going in goal’,” Castillo said.

“I looked at him and I was like, ‘well, I guess.’ “So I went in goal, played the second half. It went pretty well, so I went from there.” Although Castillo may not have been happy with his brother at the time, playing goal allowed him to play college soccer.

“When I played in Houston Dynamo (U- 18 Developmental Academy) it was pretty exciting to see all the academy players, the ones above me, going into college soccer and coming back and having great experiences playing around the nation,” he said. “It was exciting to know I was going to get to do that as well.”

Castillo started for two years at Tyler Junior College, where he posted seven shutouts that led his team to the 2014 NJCAA National Championship.
“Winning a national championship in college soccer is a really good experience,” he said.

“We had lost the first final my first year and my second year we got to come out again.
“At the moment you don’t know how to feel or what to do, you are just so excited… you just won a National Championship.”

After finishing up in Tyler, where he also earned NJCAA Second Team All-American, NSCAAA First Team All-South Region and First Team All-Conference accolades as a freshman after recording 11 shutouts with a 0.81 goals against average, Castillo was attracted to UTRGV due in part to its strong soccer culture.

“Coach Paul Leese and Coach Donovan Dowling gave me a call and talked to me about the school,” Castillo said. “I think what attracted me the most was the coaches and the atmosphere here at UTRGV.
“Coach Dowling was also a really, really good goalkeeper, and I think Coach Leese is one of the smartest coaches in college soccer.”

Castillo still has a year and a half left at UTRGV, after which he hopes to play professionally. When he’s done playing soccer, he wants to teach it.
“My goal is to have a goalkeeper academy and to teach kids from a young age how to play in goal,” he said.

OUR LEAGUES

We have soccer leagues available for everyone and every skill level. You don’t have to wait very long to register to one of our leagues. Registration is simple and quick. Don’t know how to get started? Here are a few steps!

1. Do you already have a team?
a. Yes (do an arrow here) Our games are 7 vs. 7 so you need a minimum of 7 players and a max of 14. You will be required to get a player ID for each and to play with your same players all season.
b. No (same arrow pointing right) We can help you find a team:
b.i. If you’re an adult, visit our website at www.plazasportscenter.com/mens-soccer-leagues/ and fill our a form so we can try to find you a team.
b.ii. If you’re a child, enroll in our Soccer Academy and you will automatically be invited to one of our teams.
Cool idea: We have a LOT of business teams. Talk to your coworkers or boss about starting a company team, use the company’s logo on uniforms as advertising and you’ve got a team! You can request a friendly game so you get some practice before starting the league.

2. You’ve got your team, how do you pick a league?
We have over 40 different leagues per week in different levels and days. They all start at different times so we can accommodate you in one in no time!
a. Determine what division you’ll like to play:
a.i. Women’s
a.ii. 45+ years
a.iii. Champions
a.iv. Open (Competitive)
a.v. Second Division
a.vi. Third Division (Recreational)
a.vii. Youth Competitive
a.viii. Youth Recreational
b. Call our office 9567837670 and request a next available fay and time for that division. Or you can say you’d like in X amount of weeks and we can suggest a league for your schedule.
Note: What’s nice about our leagues is once you schedule a day and time, that will be your schedule for the entire league! No change in schedule! No confusions!

HOW LONG DO LEAGUES LAST? 10 weeks plus semifinals and finals. So you’d play once per week at the same day and time.
IMPORTANT: Since all our fields are turf, we do not allow cleats for play. You can use turf or indoor shoes.
c. Talk to your team and pick a league. Call our office 9567837670 so we reserve your spot. (Reservation requires a downpayment)

3. You have a league, NOW WHAT?
a. Start playing!! If you need additional soccer gear, you can stop by our office shop for balls, socks, gloves, shin guards, etc. One stop!
b. You can start checking your schedules and standings online on our website.
c. Like our facebook page so you can see constant photos and videos of games. Pick up our magazine as well for pics and news!

LEAGUES AVAILABLE:

Women’s: Fridays at 8 pm.
45+ Years: Thursdays at 8 pm.
Champions: Wednesdays at 8 pm.
Open: Available all week, including weekends
Second Division: Tuesdays at 10 pm
Recreational: Schedules vary. All week available.
Youth Competitive: Saturdays and Sundays and Fridays at 7 pm.
Youth Recreational: Saturdays and Sundays

You can always request additional schedules by calling our office at
9567837670.

Get ready to experience a completely new level of soccer at Plaza Sports Center. Our newly redesigned Toros Soccer Academy is here! Since its start two and half years ago, Toros Academy has successfully trained our players to develop the skills and abilities they need to become successful soccer players.

Our players have become so good that the time has come to make some changes. We’ve consulted with soccer experts and professional players to develop a new Toros Academy that will focus on developing and expanding the individual talents and level of each player.

We have initiated a series of positive changes for our program, all of which have been carefully evaluated by our team, says Plaza Sports Center CEO, Alma Caso.

This is us taking the next step and taking our kids to the next level. Here’s what you can expect with our 2.0 version of the Toros Academy: Play At Your Own Level In most soccer schools, students are divided by age groups.

We learned that students perform better when they train with others at their same skill level. With our new academy, our groups are based on the players’ level of play instead of their age. Players begin with their age group until coaches are able to fully assess their abilities.

They will then be moved to the group that is a better fit for them. As players improve, they will be moved to different levels so they continue developing their play. Amped Up Intensity We know that for our players to improve, they need more training opportunities and discipline.

This is why all of our players in Toros Academy will participate in three practices a week. Two of these practices will focus on drills that will develop their skills, techniques, agility, and fitness level. All groups play scrimmages as a team on Fridays to develop their teamwork and collaboration skills and so they can learn to play together.

New Toros Teams One of the biggest additions to our academy is that all players will be given the opportunity to be placed in one of our Toros team. We have different level teams: recreational, intermediate, and advanced categories. This will allow our players to play in a team that is appropriate for their level. This means more opportunities to play and improve.

Outside Tournaments Because our Academy trains in our own facilities at Plaza Sports Center, we have always invited our teams to play in our own competitive leagues where teams from all over the Valley participate. With our new academy, we will start introducing our Competitive teams to outside tournaments, says Alma Caso.

This will be beneficial for those categories because we will be exposing them to different types of competition and opportunities Specialized Coaches A great soccer academy begins with great coaches.

We have a new team of coaches that are equipped to take our children to the next level. Our new Toros Academy will have a specific coach assigned to each team. This will allow the coach to get to know the individual strengths and weaknesses that they have to work on for each child. Parents will now know who they can contact with any questions or suggestions they might have.

We’re so excited to start seeing the results of our new Toros Academy in our players. If you’re not a part of our academy, join us for a free two-day trial. All you need to start experiencing a new level of training is to show up any day of the week at 5:30 p.m. to try out one of our practices!

Bubble Soccer has arrived at Plaza Sports Center! If you haven’t heard about this new game that has become a huge hit in Europe and Canada, you soon will. Bubble soccer, or bubble ball is similar to classic soccer, but with one little twist: All players are wearing bubble suits! Although we’re very serious about soccer at Plaza Sports Center, we also love to have fun.

That is why we’re the first place in the Rio Grande Valley to offer Bubble Soccer. We provide the bubble suit, and the fields for a small rental fee so our guests can go out and enjoy this hilarious and fun-filled game.

What is Bubble Soccer? This trendy new game is very similar to classic soccer. You need a soccer field withtwo goal posts to get started. The game is played just like you would play soccer, except that things get really fun when you bump into other players in your bubble suits.

You’ll have so much fun making each other fall to the floor. Bubble Soccer is a great team-building exercise that allows you to practice the same strategy skills that are used in conventional soccer.

It is also very safe because you’re literally inside a bubble. It’s an excellent game for everyone to enjoy as a family and it’s guaranteed that you’ll all have plenty of laughs.

It’s very easy to play and even those who don’t regularly practice sports or play soccer can easily catch on. How Does It Work? We provide everything that you need so you can just come out and play. You need a minimum of eight players to be able to play. For small groups, the suit rental fee is $10 dollars per person for 30 minutes or $17 dollars per person for one hour. We can have a maximum of 12 players at the same time.

We also have options for companies, teams, birthday parties, or schools. Our large group package is $15 dollars per suit rental for 30 minutes and $25 dollar suit rental for 1 hour. We can have a maximum of 24 players at the same time. Is it just for kids?

No, Bubble Soccer is a game for everyone and it’s a great way to do something different as a family. You can also rent our Bubble Soccer suits for your corporate events at our facility.

Few people are as passionate about soccer as Rafael Rodriguez. From the day he was first introduced to this sport by his brother when he was just eleven years old, soccer has become a very important part of his life.

Fast forward three decades later and Rafael is still very involved with this sport. He currently serves as Sports Director for Club de Fútbol Brazil in Hidalgo, Texas, plays in the Toros Veterans Team, and is a volunteer referee and youth coach at Plaza Sports Center.

Growing up in Reynosa, Rodriguez was always involved in many different soccer teams and clubs. His strong belief that soccer helped develop a child’s strong character and discipline led him and his brother, Juan Jacinto Rodriguez, to establish Club Inglaterra in Reynosa.

More than twenty years later, the club continues providing opportunities for children in Reynosa to play this sport and remains under the management of the Rodriguez Mendiola family. Around two and a half years ago, Rafael was invited by his nephew to play at Plaza Sports Center.

I immediately fell in love with Plaza Sports Center, recalls Rodriguez. Everything about the center was wonderful – the facilities, the people, the programs, the kids, and especially the founder, Dr. Jose Antonio Caso, who has a true love for this sport. Ever since, Rafael continues to be involved in the center both on and off the field. When he’s not playing with the Toros Veterans Team, Rafael can be found cheering on his eleven-year-old son, Severo Rafael Rodriguez, who plays in the 2004-2005 Competitive League or serving as a referee in one of the games.

He also played in the Open League with a team comprised of his brothers and nephews. One of the biggest honors I’ve experienced is winning the championship with my family in 2014 and then winning with the Toros Veterans Team the next day, recalls Rodriguez. It was also in the Summer of 2014 that Gerardo Hernandez invited him to take part in founding Club de Fútbol Brazil, a soccer club in Hidalgo, Texas, where there were very few opportunities for children to play soccer.

During that time, the World Cup was taking place and they decided to take advantage of that momentum to get people interested in the sport. Rodriguez recognizes that the success of this club wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Plaza Sports Center.

We call Plaza Sports Center the cradle of soccer because it has helped and nurtured our club to flourish, he explains. The founders, coaches, players, and staff at Plaza Sports Center also consider Rafael Rodriguez to be a great asset to soccer in the Rio Grande Valley.

He is greatly admired for his commitment and selfless devotion to instilling love for this sport in children.  We enjoy having Coach Rafa around in our facility, be it refereeing for one of our leagues, directing one of his youth teams in our children’s leagues or playing in our 45+ league, shares Alma Casa, CEO of Plaza Sports Center.

He is always a pleasure to have around because he shares our vision for fostering a family environment around soccer. He is a truly dedicated gentleman and we appreciate his support.”

Juan Manuel Burnias is the perfect example of the dedication, good sportsmanship, and love of soccer that our Toros Academy students display. The Memorial Wolverines High School 9th grader has been part of the academy for more than a year and a half.

His good attitude and hard work have led him to be one of the most well liked players in our center. Although Burnias has been playing soccer since he was eight years old, he played in different fields and never belonged to a team. Juan Manuel started coming to Plaza Sports Center to accompany his dad who played in the men’s league.

He often saw other boys his age playing in the fields and wanted to be part of their team. One day, Burnias decided to approach a group of players and ask them how he could join the team.

They directed him to the coach who invited Juan Manuel to join them for a Toros Academy practice. Since his first day at the academy, Burnias demonstrated excellent potential and commitment.

He has been able to train with other boys his age and learn specific skills and techniques that have improved his level of play. “It is a very good academy,” said Burnias. “I like it because they train you in many different ways and you improve your fitness level and you learn new techniques. I’ve really learned a lot.”

One of the things that Burnias has always liked about Toros Academy is that everyone gets the opportunity to play and be part of the team. This allows players to develop good relationships and learn to play as a team, which reflects in their performance at matches.

Although the 14-year-old midfielder has played throughout the Rio Grande Valley, he feels that the Plaza Sports Center facilities are the best in the area. “I really like the fields at Plaza because they look very nice and it feels good to play in them.

Other places just have a carpet or the fields are very uneven,” explains Burnias. “The center also has more security than other places. They really take care of the kids here.” The skills that are taught at Toros Academy don’t just involve technique and strategy; the coaches also focus on teaching players the importance of discipline, collaboration, and good sportsmanship.

Juan Manuel knows that these are life skills that will help him become a better soccer player and will help him achieve his goal of becoming a computer engineer someday.