Fallbrook Girls Soccer coach looking forward to season

For Fallbrook Union High School Girls Varsity Soccer Head Coach Sergio Garcia, the spring season that awaits his program still feels up in the air and putting that into words isn't exactly easy.

"I'm looking forward to hopefully there is some type of competition or at least some type of recreational or being out there and kicking the ball with the right precautions," he said in a phone interview. "That's kind of where we're at."

Talking about a season that will be played in a couple of months, instead of starting in November as usual – maybe – can be difficult.

"(It is) a bit of a disappointment, the whole pandemic and keeping kids inside," Garcia said. "They feel like they need to go out and kick the ball. What we are doing is we are planning as scheduled – the three seasons have been condensed into two – so we're moving forward planning with other schools to schedule our preseason games, get our schedules out. (We are) playing it by ear with the restrictions and what CIF is going to do and what the governor will do. But yeah, we're moving forward."

Because the team won't reconvene until well after the first of the year, many of the returning and hopeful Warriors were training and competing with club teams.

However, Garcia said he believes the local club team, Fallbrook Villa FC, isn't currently training and has canceled their season.

"(That) was about half of our squad that was playing for them," he said. "It will be a bit of a challenge in bringing the ones that are not competing or active into playing shape."

Garcia said he has been communicating with some of his players, encouraging them to stay in shape and keep working. Most importantly, he wants them to make sure they have their physical done.

"There's a physical scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 5," he said. "The address is 521 East Elder, Suite 105. The donation is $25 and that goes to Fallbrook Union High School athletics. This is for all winter and spring athletes.

"A physical is actually one of the ones that is the biggest hurdle, because of time and getting into your doctor physically (with the restrictions)."

One good bit of news regarding the upcoming season is that athletes that are enrolled in US Soccer Development Academy will be able to compete this year. Previously, those athletes were restricted from playing for their high school teams.

"With that going away, you've got access to these players that are very, very skilled and it's just exciting," Garcia said. "I do know that I'm getting at least two DA players. So that'll happen. That'll definitely help the team and the both are attackers, returning players."

He said the team was young last season with only four seniors graduating.

"We had good chemistry, young, young team, so I am looking forward to the next few seasons ahead, we should be a strong team," Garcia said. "Last season we didn't do so well, we fell short of our goals. But we are excited to hopefully have the season start."

There's one more thing he's excited too, something he's been waiting for.

"I do have my daughter playing as a freshman this year." Garcia said. "I've been looking forward to that."

Jeff Pack can be reached by email at [email protected].