Local coaches Alex Gallego and Larry Van Patten brought talent from Oyster Bay, Bayville, and young athletes from the Hispanic Cultural Center (CCU) together to build one of Oyster Bay’s most competitive youth soccer teams, the Avalanche.
“We’ve put together a very diverse and special group of young men. It includes some from the CCU who are still learning English to help them integrate into this culture,” said Coach Gallego.
He speaks Spanish, and his son AJ and the entire team are helping to make the new players feel welcomed.
They are bringing together youth from many different cultures.
The international sport of soccer shares a universal language as we have seen in the recent Soccer World Cup championship. This year the US Men’s National Team did very well, making it into the Round of 16 although they lost to Ghana. Spain came out the final winner as they played against the Netherlands – while millions around the world watched.
“That was the second time the US lost to Ghana as it tried to advance in a World Cup Tournament. Soccer started officially as we know it now – in the late 1800s when a group of players came together at the Free Masons Tavern in London, England and started the FA, the Football Association and wrote the 17 laws of soccer,” added Mr. Gallego.
“The Avalanche team has become one of the most competitive soccer travel teams in Oyster Bay. It’s a very positive team with many wins and each week we see improvement in the players. In their last game of the season, they took on their nemesis, the Oceanside Scorpions and beat them handily at 5-0,” said Coach Gallego.
The team will be moving on to U-12 in the fall and play regulation soccer with 11 versus 11 on the field. This should make for a very competitive soccer environment along with a roster of 16 players.
Coaches Gallego and Van Patten are looking forward to a very spirited season coming up – with a tournament championship on their minds.
