New Burnet boys soccer coach Jimenez sees path for more success

CAPTION: Burnet boys soccer head coach Aaron Jimenez watches his players as they go through their conditioning by running lines. It’s part of their summer program. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro

Aaron Jimenez looked at home as he watched members of the Burnet High School boys soccer team get their conditioning work in after participating in a weightlifting session.

The Bulldogs showed exactly why Jimenez wanted to become their head coach. He resigned as the Florence girls soccer head coach to come to Burnet. Before that, he was the Killeen Harker Heights girls soccer head coach.

He has spent the last month leading the Burnet soccer players through strength and conditioning.

“I will say that I think (former head coach Benjamin) Boorman definitely left it in nice shape,” he said. “He left it with plenty of wiggle room to try and develop it even further.”

The new coach pointed out the Bulldogs have several returning lettermen with no more than three graduating from the 2026 squad.

“Two of them were (goal) keepers, so really a big gap that I’m trying to fill right now is that keeper spot but pretty much every field player is a returner,” he said. “They are quite a young team, but they’ll be mostly junior and sophomore heavy this year, and a lot of these kids that played last year are talented. But they’re freshmen and early sophomore, so them being on the same field as juniors and seniors can be a little eye-opening for them and obviously a dramatic change.”

Another big reason he said yes to Burnet is because of athletic director Grant Freeman, one of his Brownwood High School football coaches more than a decade ago.

“He had a tremendous impact on me that year because we had (reached) the state quarterfinals together and there is really no year for me athletic wise quite like that year,” Jimenez said. “And so just hearing that he was here in the Hill Country and knowing that I could possibly work for him and work for a program in the area and hopefully change it and develop it further – that just sounded like a dream come true.”

The more time Jimenez spends with the Bulldogs, the more he can relate to them. They are attending summer strength and conditioning four days a week that begins at 8 a.m. and ends with conditioning and agility then moves to sport-specific skill work. Jimenez is on the field with the Bulldogs, participating in drills with them and encouraging them as they run lines.

“They’re mostly Hispanic and come from a similar background as me, and I think them seeing me being there with them, working with them, playing with them, they’re already starting to feel a really nice connection to me that I was able to also build with the Marble Falls students,” he said, referring to his time as the Marble Falls Middle School soccer coach two years ago. “They’re very talented, no doubt. A lot of these kids get access to the same opportunities that the Marble Falls kids get, and I think kind of nudging them in the right direction and building a new program with them and building a relationship with them will be really important. But I can absolutely see success for them in the future.”

The Bulldogs will compete in District 23-4A the next two years that includes Florence, Gatesville, Jarrell, Lampasas, Little River Academy, McGregor and Salado. Jimenez said he believes the Bulldogs have what it takes to be in the thick of the race.

“In terms of our district, I definitely think we can compete in it,” he said. “There are teams like Salado that are highly advanced and have been developing for years and years, but I still believe the potential in Burnet is good enough to allow us to compete at a pretty high level, especially with the more time that I get with these boys.”

CAPTION: Aaron Jimenez shows that he doesn’t ask his players to do something he is unwilling to do himself. Therefore, he participates in their skill work with them. This is a passing dribbling and passing drill.