BAKERSFIELD, CA – With the Renegade Men's soccer team season under way, coach Vayron Martinez and the team are looking to be a little more successful than last season, ending the 2018-19 season with an overall record of 9-6-5 and conference record of 4-2-4. The 2019-20 season will start the men's fourth season of existence since the 1990's.
"Going into our fourth year, any improvement that will generate more awareness of the program within the community or the state is going to be good for our players," as head coach Martinez comments on being able to get more exposure for his players to transfer to four year universities and improve their talents at the junior college level first. Martinez believes this year's team will be stronger and give them an opportunity to do better than previous years based on the numbers, personnel they have, and the group of players.
The team will consist of a 27-men roster (not including five red-shirts) and only ten returning players. Martinez comments, "It's difficult to highlight specific players because every single one of them have a specific role on the field and if we didn't have that player 27th or 1st, it's not the same thing." However, he does want to make the Kern County community aware there will be many local talents this year, Edgar Gonzales (Bakersfield HS), Christian Gonzales (Ridgeview HS), Anthony Ponce (East HS) and another twenty-four Kern County graduates. He notes about 85% of the players are local with only six being from out of town or another country. Edgar was voted MVP by his team last season as a freshman, leading the team with seven goals as a defender.
Coach Vayron and his staff are confident their freshman will be able to do as good of a job as a returner or starter when they are called upon.
Martinez also noted that the team has a very competitive schedule. "Every team is going to be a challenge, even our exhibition games. In community college it's difficult to estimate how good a program is going to be because of the turnaround." The Renegade have a 22-game schedule with two scrimmages, starting with LA Harbor (8/16) and six teams who made the post-season last year, including Fresno City, who made it to the final four.
"Each game is the most important game, with the men being so young, I hope the men's focus is in that game and not on anything else." Traveling will be the Renegade's biggest challenge, but coach Vayron also takes it as an opportunity for the players to spend more time together and build chemistry amongst each other.
The 'Gades and Coach Vayron would like the community to come out and support their hometown team and to know that there is a men's soccer team on campus. He plans to send the players out into the community for service opportunities to increase exposure for the team.
The men's soccer team's first home match is set for on Tuesday, August 27th at 4pm against West Hills Lemoore. Home games will be played at the BC Soccer Field located by the main entrance to the college campus off Haley St. and not in Memorial Stadium. All games are free to attend, and most home games will be on Tuesdays and Fridays with most kickoffs starting at 4pm. Be sure to check the schedule on GoGades.com to keep up on the season.