Sanchez returns to Newport

BRYCE ALDERTON

It might be contrary to human biology, but blue blood could very well

run through Will Sanchez’s veins.

The former Newport Harbor High midfielder returned to his alma

mater this winter and coaches the frosh-soph team, 2-1-3 heading into its Sea View League opener against Foothill Friday.

“In the summer Ryan [Hernandez, Newport’s varsity coach], called

me and asked if I wanted to do it,” Sanchez said. “I said, ‘Sure.’ I

like soccer and it’s at my former school, which is that much better.”

Sanchez played midfield for OCC last fall and also coaches an AYSO

under-16 girls team.

This is his first experience coaching at the high school level.

He said the “cooperation, dedication and desire to get better,”

are three noticeable contrasts between AYSO and high school.

“The kids come out because they want to get better and they make

friends out here,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez labeled his coaching style as “hands-on,” with lots of

game simulations during practices.

“They need to keep touching the soccer ball no matter what,”

Sanchez said. “I’m sure it will come around as I get older and make

them better. I want them to be proud of playing for their school,

have good sportsmanship and a good work ethic.”

Sanchez lives in Costa Mesa and is taking psychology classes at

Orange Coast with hopes of transferring to UC Irvine.

He has played soccer since he was 5 and hopes to continue his

career with the Anteaters. OCC men’s and women’s assistant Kevin

Smith played at UCI before playing professionally in England.

The transition to Coast this season was made easier by having

seven teammates from Harbor on the squad.

“It was a little intimidating coming into a good soccer program,”

Sanchez said. “Kevin is big on team chemistry, but eight guys coming

from Harbor made it a real comfortable environment to play in. We

played well.”

Coast finished 13-5-1, 10-3-1 in the Orange Empire Conference --

good for third place -- but missed the Southern California playoffs.

Sanchez, who tallied six assists last year, will play in a spring

league in preparation for next season.

In the meantime, he will focus the freshmen on reaching their goal

-- winning a league crown.

“I want to have a mark the freshmen can aspire to next year,”

Sanchez said. “Hopefully, they will graduate to [junior varsity] and

varsity.”

Grooming for the future sounds like the Sanchez creed, one all

coaches should aspire to.