Burnet boys soccer concludes summer league
CAPTION: Burnet’s Ricardo Flores (right) hurries to get in prime defensive position during a 7 versus 7 match against Marble Falls. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography
The Highland Lakes Soccer League in July wraps up Monday, July 20, with matches beginning at 6 p.m. at the Burnet Middle School Stadium.
The 7 versus 7 league features boys teams from Burnet, Lampasas and Marble Falls.
New Burnet head coach Aaron Jimenez, who serves as the league director, said he has witnessed many positives over the last several weeks.
“I think my favorite thing has been seeing the boys really just take it upon themselves to be creative on their own when playing and experiment in different spots, create new combinations, new ideas, growing confidence,” he said. “All of that is being done without my input, just me being a facilitator, so it’s been a good chance for them to grow in those areas individually and as a team.”
Just like in the other football, most feel 7 versus 7 isn’t true soccer, simply a vehicle that allows players to work on their individual games, share ideas or what they’re seeing with their teammates, and come up with ways to move the ball with the aim of scoring.
Scoring still remains the goal, Jimenez said. But he is very interested in seeing how his players move the ball, hearing what they say to each other, and how they respond more than he was almost anything else.
“It’s highly experimental,” he said. “You have kids who are playing in spots they may not play in when the season comes and you have kids combining with other kids that they may not actually interact with as much during the season. We’re playing in a totally different temperature. In January and February, we’re playing in really cold nights. Now we’re playing in summer evenings in the heat. So the results are not so much what we’re after; I would say it’s more so about the growth and the journey they get in 7v7 matches.”
Jimenez noted the different player combinations allowed him to see individual skills while also building confidence because there wasn’t a guarantee each athlete played in his preferred position.
“Kids are forced to often go outside of the comfort zone and play in areas they’re not typically accustomed to and they’re playing in closer quarters with people they may not be as close to on an 11-man field,” he said. “When the season comes around, things could look very different with who they’re surrounded by, who they’re playing to, and who they’re playing next to.”
CAPTION: Burnet’s Andre Molina (right) fights for position to keep control of the ball. Photo by Martelle Luedecke/Luedecke Photography
