Coach Noel Vazquez said it best: for the Centralia men’s soccer program, the upcoming season will be one full of firsts.
“Anything that we do this year is very historic, and I think that’s something that everybody loves about being a part of a first-year program,” Vazquez said at the Blazers’ first practice on Aug. 2. “They’re gonna be a part of the record books no matter what.”
The Trailblazers are set to take the field for the first time later this month, scrimmaging against Evergreen State College on Aug. 15, and playing their first official game against Everett on Aug. 18.
They’ll then turn their attention to the NWAC preseason friendlies, and beyond that, their first full season.
“It’s a very exciting time for the college itself. They worked really hard to get this complex started,” Vazquez said of Bob Peters Field, the soccer, baseball and softball complex the school opened this past spring.
“We’re here today. It’s a historic day for the college and a historic day for the men’s program.”
Vazquez, who has been an assistant on the women’s coaching staff since 2015, said he was grateful for the opportunity to lead the new program.
He said he was initially on the fence about whether a coach his age could lead a college program, noting that he is considerably younger than the average Northwest Athletic Conference coach.
Despite his age, he is eager to field a team that the community can be proud of.
“I’m just glad that they chose me,” he said. “I’m always very motivated to make things happen and this is one of those things that I want to make sure happens, and it’s something that anyone can come out here and feel proud of having locally.”
Joining Vazquez at Centralia are some of his former players, including players he coached at the youth level and at the semi-pro level with the Twin City Union.
One of those players is Centralia alum Victor Rojas, who Vazquez has coached on and off since he was in the sixth grade. While Vazquez was the head coach with the Union, Rojas became the team’s starting goalkeeper.
Rojas was the program’s first signee, and Vazquez has high hopes for him this season.
“He’s been able to stay fit and figure things out,” Vazquez said of Rojas. “And I think he’s gotten better since he got out of high school.”
Rojas’ brother, Gio, Allan Osborne, and Leo Perez are also Centralia alums, and they’ll all take the field for the Trailblazers this fall. W.F. West alum Jairo Lima is also in the mix and has also been coached by Vazquez in the past.
On the field, Vazquez knows the Trailblazers will have their hands full, not only because they are a new team, but because they are competing in a region that includes Highland and Tacoma, the past two NWAC champions.
“I think that just gives us credibility for our program and what we are trying to accomplish in a tough region.”
While it is impossible to pinpoint how many wins, losses, or draws the team will have in its inaugural season, Vazquez vowed that this team will be competitive.
“I’m gonna push these guys to where we compete. If we lose every game, we’re gonna lose by one or two at most. We’re not going to get blown out,” Vazquez said.
And regardless of the team’s final record, Vazquez knows that this year will serve as a building block for years to come.
“The new program is going to be something that people are gonna want to be a part of. Maybe not this year since we are just getting started. But with years to come, (as we) establish a program, it’s just gonna get better.”
