Yaodong Gu is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Marcos de Niza High School by AZPreps365

 

Luis Esparza joined the Marcos de Niza boys soccer team just a couple weeks ago. As the youngest player on the team, Esparza is waiting for an opportunity to play.

“It is my first season,” Esparza said, “I feel good. Coach Bobby gave me an opportunity.”

Just like many high school soccer players, Esparza is not strong and tall, but when he talks about his soccer dream, his eyes can not move away from the field. There is a type of magic on the field that captures his mind and soul.

There are many kids running on the field and enjoying the happiness of soccer. This field is a real paradise for kids.

The man behind this paradise is a 29-year-old English teacher -- Bobby Davis, who has been coaching the Padres soccer team for three seasons.

In Davis’s heart, the deepest motivation is helping the kids.

“I just fell in love with it,” Davis said. “I enjoyed working with this group. A lot of kids came from broken homes, no dad around. I grew up the same way.”

Because of his childhood, Davis has much patience for his players.

“I looked at my life, the people who were around and took care of me,” Davis said.  “I love the idea giving back to the kids, being an adult man they can trust, to be there every day, to go extra miles for them, to make sure they keep their grades up.”

Marcos de Niza High School is home for Davis.

“I went to this school and I played soccer here. I was an assistant right after I graduated from here,” Davis said, “so this place is home for me.”

Like most athletic programs, the soccer program at Marcos de Niza has had its highs and lows. The most exciting period came in the 1990s. The Padres won three straight state title, led by Greg Vanney, a former U.S. national soccer player and the current coach of Toronto FC. His jersey number has been retired at Marcos.

“After 1992, the average team wins about two games year here,” Davis said, “so my goal has been to slowly improve that and to provide opportunities for people who normally wouldn’t have them.

“My No.1 goal is to turn out good people and good students. I’ve been lucky enough to have some players who were talented enough and had good enough grades that a good amount of them played in college. That’s the ultimate goal for me, is to set up them and prepare them for life after high school.”

Gesar Gutirrez, a midfielder on the current team, was excited to wait for Coach Davis’s call.

“I’ve played here two years. Soccer is my hobby,” Gutirrez said, “My dream is becoming a medical examiner, but I like soccer.”

Gutirrez said, “I like Coach Davis. He is strict but a very good person. He has rules but I really enjoy and learn from it.”

Like a godfather, Davis has taught these kids his valuable experience about life and soccer and he also taught them how to be a better man.

Davis said, “I guess my deep motivation would be giving them opportunities they normally would not have without soccer.”