Nicknamed Arizona by a freshman football coach after just having moved from the state, he was a three-sport athlete (baseball, football and basketball), and a four-year varsity baseball player. Matt Hobgood attended Norco High School in Norco, California. He hit a 300' plus home run at age 12 at Victory Lane Sports Park in Glendale, Arizona. At the urging of coaches, he moved over to Little League Baseball at age 11, but soon left to play travel ball after an opposing team refused to face the hard-throwing Hobgood. His father noticed his talent and suggested he sign up to play in a city league. Hobgood's father, Rick, bought him a glove at age eight, and he began spending his days throwing a baseball against the slump block front of his Glendale, Arizona home. Hobgood did not play organized baseball until he was 8 + 1⁄ 2 years old. He was drafted in the first round, 5th overall, of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft by the Baltimore Orioles. That’s where I think I’m making my biggest impact.Matthew Micah Hobgood (born August 3, 1990) is a former American professional baseball pitcher. “But what the kids see on a regular basis is what matters most. “I can tell that watching me play has made an impact on them,” Gonzalez said. With plenty of time remaining on his own promising career, Gonzalez says he will continue to look for his next playing opportunity, and his next chance to make some highlights. “After high school I want to go to college and play there, and maybe play professional, too.” “His success motivates us to follow our dreams and never give up on them,” Rojas said. Regardless of the start to the 2018-19 campaign, this group of Jaguars has been given an example to follow and the motivation to be hopeful about their own future paths and playing careers. “Every game they’re getting after it, and as a coach what more can you ask for? They want to be better and we’ve played some tough teams so far.” “These are all hungry, hard-working kids and they want it,” Gonzalez said. With no preseason tournament games on the schedule – the boys soccer program lacked the funds to pay the tournament fees, but Gonzalez arranged a fund raiser that has the team back on track – the team had only a few nonleague games before taking on a demanding list of River Valley League fixtures. The Jaguars are 1-6 on the season and will head to La Sierra for a River Valley League match Friday afternoon. “You can tell he’s speaking to us from experience.” He makes the team better, with discipline, too,” Rojas said. “It may not seem like it so far, but there have been big changes. With help from assistant coach Norberto Ochoa – another UC Riverside alum – rigorous training sessions and focused communication with his upperclassmen have started to change things, Rojas said. “The way I see it now, Jurupa Valley is my second home.” “In just the four months I’ve been here I’ve had to turn a lot around,” Gonzalez said. He walked onto Jurupa Valley High’s campus to find sparse soccer culture and a lack of understanding about the discipline necessary to become successful. They motivate me to be my best and give it my best.” “One of the main reasons I’m doing so well right now with my game is because of these kids. “I tell the players that, ‘When you have an opportunity you need to make the most of it,’ ” Gonzalez said. Open Cup tournament, with its next game tentatively scheduled for January. Gonzalez, 24, is currently a starting midfielder/winger for Cal Football Club of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), one of the top Pro Development soccer leagues in the country.Ĭal FC recently captured the UPSL’s Western Conference SoCal North Division for the 2018 Fall Season, and the club is attempting to qualify for the 2019 version of the annual Lamar Hunt U.S. He’s proving it’s never too late,” said Jurupa Valley senior captain Giovanni Rojas with a chuckle. Few have a coach still experiencing such highlights.įor the boys soccer players at Jurupa Valley High School, where Eric Gonzalez was hired to revitalize a program that hadn’t played a CIF-Southern Section playoff game in four years, they’re just getting used to hearing – and seeing it – for themselves. JURUPA VALLEY – Any athlete can tell you about a former coach who would yammer on about highlights from their promising career.
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