For Juan Salgado, Leyden soccer is a family that always has arms extended.
Salgado played soccer at Leyden and graduated in 2012. He went to Northern Illinois, but due to money, came back home.
Salgado had stayed in contact with Leyden head coach Mark Valintis and Valintis made an intreguing suggestion.
“We would talk on Twitter and just share our points of view on different soccer situations,” Salgado said. “When he found out I wasn’t going back to Northern, he told me I could go and get my coach’s license and help out at Leyden.
“I’ve learned a lot and now I’m not sure if I want to keep working towards being an accountant or maybe become a teacher at Leyden and get a chance to coach a team here.”
Suggesting to Juan Salgado that he get involved with the soccer team was a no-brainer for Valintis.
“I am extremely grateful to be able to continue to help provide opportunities to our Leyden soccer family,” Valintis said. “Just because we graduate players does not mean our relationship ends. I thought this would be a good thing for him to be a part of again until he can get back to NIU. Certainly Juan knows all of the guys on the team and having him around has been a great experience for everyone.”
Getting to help out with the soccer team at Leyden was attractive for another reason. Salgado’s younger brother, Salvador, is a junior midfielder for the Eagles.
“I’m enjoying that a lot,” Juan Salgado said. “I think my brother is very, very talented but once we’re on the practice field I’m no longer his brother. We’re part of a team and we respect each other that way. I don’t pick favorites, but it’s been a great experience because I have been watching him play for a long time.”
Salvador Salgado always got tips from his older brother, but still felt uncomfortable when Juan first started coaching for the Eagles.
“My dad [Martin Salgado] was pretty much my first coach and as we got older Juan would tell me what to do to get better,” Salvador Salgado said. “He helped me a lot when I was younger and now he’s still helping me.
“The first couple of days it felt pretty weird because I’d go home and have to see him after practice. But after a while he really became everyone’s brother. I don’t feel weird if he gives me orders because I know he just wants me to be better.”
Coaching the soccer team has been a tremendous eye-opener for Juan Salgado and it’s been more challenging than he expected.
“In my head it all makes sense on how I want a drill to run, but you have to send the message and explain clearly what you expect,” Juan Salgado said. “It’s a whole different ballgame going from a player to a coach. As a player you think conditioning is dumb but when you look at it as a coach, you see that other teams will run through you if your guys are not in shape. The big picture changes a lot as a coach.”
- The Eagles (12-5-4) began regional play this week and are the No. 5 seed in the Niles North Sectional. They opened with a 3-0 win over Schurz on Tuesday and then on Friday topped Glenbrook South 1-0. “We are really starting to play exceptionally well the last few weeks of the season,” Valintis said. “Guys are healthy and the extremely tough schedule has prepared us well for the playoff stretch. I really like our chances in our sectional.”
