Chula Vista FC’s MLS Next Select team will make a visit to Arizona Western College this Saturday to play a couple of games and tour the college’s campus.
In an effort to give our Chula Vista FC players a chance to experience the college atmosphere, the club has formed a select team composed of MLS Next and Elite Academy players to tour the Arizona Western College campus and play a couple a games against Division 1 colleges. Chula Vista FC’s Academy Director, Jose Hector Diaz, had this to say: “Our trip to Yuma to visit Arizona Western College is shaping up to be a fantastic opportunity for all involved. I genuinely enjoy the process and the unique experience of competing against college teams, offering our players valuable exposure and development opportunities. It is a great opportunity to be evaluated by the college’s coaching staff. We will have a couple of games against Arizona Western College and Ottawa University, who is visiting AWC. In between games we will take a brief tour of the campus.” Diaz added: “The college has a residential hall. I am hoping that this triggers their mind to think that they could live on their own at the college. The college is not far from home, and they can easily go home and come back the same day. This, I think, will push some kids towards pursuing higher education.” Diaz concluded. “This will now be established as an annual event.”
Current Chula Vista FC B2011 Villa Head Coach, and Arizona Western College’s Alumni, Francisco ‘Cisco’ Ramirez, will also accompany the team. Cisco had this to say about the college’s visit: I attended AWC 2012-2014. The experience was great. It helped that I went with teammates from San Diego. I got to experience the dorm life, which was great. The fact that you are away from home but close enough that you could visit when you miss it, made it easier. I played soccer the two years that I was there. Made All-American Honorable Mentioned my first year. Unfortunately, it ended a little short due to an ACL injury that required surgery. Second year was a little of getting my rhythm back. Academically, I received my Degree in General Studies. It wasn’t easy. But the people there helped me a lot. Cisco continued by explaining how this experience will benefit our Chula Vista FC’s current players: The players will benefit from this College both in their normal life and on the field. You become more independent, and you get the experience of feeling what College is about. On the field, you will get to test where you are physically with the big Division 1 college boys. It also helps improve your grades if they are not the best during high school so you can then transfer to a four-year University. Ramirez concluded on how this benefits Chula Vista FC: It is a very good opportunity to showcase the talent that is hiding down on our Chula Vista area. Take advantage of this and make the best of it by having fun.”
As a Chula Vista FC player, Cisco has been part of many of the club’s major achievements. He was part of the club’s first U19 team that won National Cup in 2013, the club’s adult team that won the Regional Championship in 2014 and was also part of the adult team that was considered the Cinderella story that grabbed national attention in the 2015 Lamar Hunt Open Cup by reaching the Third Round of the competition.
The select team will be composed by the following players:
| Daniel | Barragan | Former CVFC MLS Next player |
| Julio | Cardona | Former CVFC MLS Next player |
| Cesar | Covarrubias | Former CVFC MLS Next player |
| Miguel | Badillo | Chula Vista FC B2005 Elite Academy |
| Broward Cole | Maryan | Chula Vista FC B2005 Elite Academy |
| Sebastian | Mendoza | Chula Vista FC B2005 Elite Academy |
| Andres | Ramirez | Chula Vista FC B2005 Elite Academy |
| AJ | Salazar | Chula Vista FC B2005 Elite Academy |
| Adrian | Cruz Cota | Chula Vista FC B2005 MLS Next |
| Luis | Maciel | Chula Vista FC B2005 MLS Next |
| Diego | Mendoza | Chula Vista FC B2005 MLS Next |
| Nicholas | Orozco | Chula Vista FC B2007 MLS Next |
| Alonso | Robles | Chula Vista FC B2007 MLS Next |
| Emiliano | Yanez | Chula Vista FC B2007 MLS Next |
| Iker | Fiol | Chula Vista FC B2008 MLS Next |
| Diego | Mosqueda | Chula Vista FC B2008 MLS Next |
| Axel | Rodriguez | Chula Vista FC B2008 MLS Next |
| Aaron | Tamer | Chula Vista FC B2008 MLS Next |
| Elvis | Villalva | Chula Vista FC B2008 MLS Next |
Chula Vista FC is committed to not only developing the athletic side of our players. But also, to assist them in their academic future.
