Energetic coach ready to take over soccer program

The Lady Apaches program added an energetic coach to the staff, bringing on Jerry Benavidez to head coach the girls’ soccer team.

Now in its third year, Benavidez knows how much work there needs to be done in order to get the program to new heights.

“I understand how much work it’s going to take to get to where we need to be and want to be,” she said. “I feel like my passion for this sport and passion for these kids is going to be what motivates me to continue to push them [to new levels]. Not only my knowledge, but my passion for this sport and my philosophies is going to be very effective for this program. I know these girls have the talent and the desire to win. Now I just have to implement my philosophies and strategies and implement my work ethic and hopefully get them to where I want them to be physically, mentally and emotionally.”

The new coach comes from ‘the Valley’ over in Mission, Texas, where she grew up playing soccer. After playing from age 10-13, Benavidez took a break before her mom convinced her to get back in the sport.

“My mom basically told me ‘hey I want you to be able to get into a sport in high school. It shows a lot of responsibility, maturity, it teaches you a lot of morals,’” Benavidez recalled. “She was right. I tried out my freshman year of high school, made varsity. I started my freshman year of high school, day one.”

One of her biggest motivators in the profession is a man named JJ Lopez who coached the varsity soccer team while also working in the special education department.

“I didn’t realize I wanted to be a coach until my freshman year of high school, which is pretty early if you look at it,” Benavidez said. “I was motivated because of [Lopez]. My career path is a reflection of who he is because of the fact that he was a great coach — by far one of the best coaches I’ve ever played under. I saw him [as] a role model, he was definitely what I wanted to become and I actually met him before my freshman year, he encouraged me to try out [for soccer].”

Mirroring Lopez’s career path, Benavidez graduated with a PE certification for all ages while also minoring in special education.

“I saw how great he was with those kids,” she said. “he is definitely the main reason why I got into coaching. I knew from day one this is what I want to do, I want to impact kids’ lives and I want to not only make them a better soccer player or better athletes but better people.”

On the field, Benavidez is ready to hit the ground running. She’s already done her research on formations, has set up volunteer workout programs for her athletes and is more than excited to start the season.

Being around the sport since she was 10, the Apaches hope that level of dedication as well as passion for not only soccer but the athletes themselves will elevate the program to new heights.