Soccer CIF Champion Becomes New Head Coach
By Fernando Garcia
The varsity soccer team at Rialto High School has had some success over the past few years but what can people say about the JV team?
The past few years the JV team did not have the best seasons. Did the JV team lack the skill that was needed to outperform other teams, or was coaching the problem? New head JV head coach, Marco Bernal, steps in and hopes to make a difference with the team. Bernal graduated from Rialto High School in 2021 and has now returned as coach to change the JV team's reputation.
Bernal played goalkeeper for the Rialto varsity soccer team as a junior in 2019 and has been playing soccer ever since he was five years old. His primary source of inspiration for soccer was the presence and motivation of his father. Bernal says, “He was a goalkeeper too and I wanted to be just like him.”
Through this, he became a goalkeeper and strived to be like his father. As time passed Bernal became better and better and played well throughout high school. He was then put on the varsity team where he learned that playing on varsity wasn't as easy as it seemed. Throughout the season Bernal would have to attend 5 a.m. practices and work to the best of his ability every single day.
Bernal stated, “It was the toughest 4 months of my life.”
Not only that but as a student-athlete one must do well in class, consistently attend practices every day that would take all evening, and manage enough time to do homework. Barnal would have little to no time for family or personal activities. Life as a varsity soccer player for Bernal was not only physically draining but also mentally draining. This hard work and dedication eventually paid off in his junior year of high school.
Rialto High School soccer team had a 6-2-2 record, winning 1st place in the San Andreas league. From there Bernal went on to CIF where he was picked as goalkeeper to win the title. February 7th, 2019 Rialto High School soccer won CIF.
Bernal states, “I couldn't feel my body,” after a long and emotional game.
Bernal then continued playing soccer his senior year and graduated from Rialto High School in 2021.
Bernal came back and is now the new head coach for the JV team. Bernal wanted to become a head coach because he saw how little effort and care some coaches would put in. Bernal would attend various soccer games and was not happy with the performance that the coaches put in.
Bernal states, “I know I can do better than all these coaches.”
Bernal's goal for this season's JV team is to win the league, to hopefully gain more experience, and to provide a better season for the JV players at Rialto High School. Bernal is a great source of inspiration for young soccer players who could hopefully one day experience that same feeling Bernal had holding that CIF title.