Gamboa looks to build on success

Juan Gamboa is enjoying summer just like a typical college student.

In addition to relaxing a little before school starts again in another month or so, Gamboa, a goalkeeper for the men's soccer team at the University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, has kept busy with his summer job. Also, he's kept his goalkeeping skills intact with regular workouts, thanks to the help of his father and younger brother.

All in all, it's been an enjoyable summer, but he can't wait for August and the start of another college soccer season with the Scorpions.

"My freshman year (at UTB-TSC) went pretty well," said Gamboa, a kinesiology major who graduated from Pace High School in 2007. "Playing soccer just made it better. I hope it goes even better (as a sophomore)."

In its inaugural season last fall, the Scorpion soccer team went 14-5-1 and won Red River Athletic Con-ference regular-season and conference tournament titles. UTB-TSC advanced to the Region VI Tourna-ment before ending the season just short of qualifying for the NAIA nationals. UTB-TSC finished ranked third in Region VI, which is a traditionally strong region for NAIA men's soccer.

Last season, Gamboa started 11 games and allowed just eight goals while recording five shutouts.

"For the first part of the season, Bojan Maric won the starting job (at goalkeeper)," UTB-TSC soccer coach Dan Balaguero said. "Gamboa waited patiently for his chance, and his first appearance was against College of the Southwest, where he made a great debut, making two one-on-one saves and earning a shut-out (in a 1-0 victory).

"Juan has everything you look for in a keeper - great athleticism, reflexes, confidence, and probably his greatest strength is his ability with his feet," Balaguero added. "Juan would make the team as a field player here. During indoor games in the spring, he showed that he is often the best technical player here (as well).
"I expect Juan to have a great sophomore year. He will be the No. 1 keeper coming into the preseason. I would not trade him for any keeper in the country."

Gamboa said he'd like to retain his starting role.

"I want to be the starter this year the whole season," Gamboa said. "I'm going to practice hard and pre-pare myself the best I can to do well."

Before the team reunites in early August for preseason workouts, there is another item on the agenda of the UTB-TSC men's soccer coaching staff and players.

The Mini Scorps and Junior Scorpion Soccer Camp for boys ages 4-15 is scheduled Monday through Friday next week at the UTB-TSC baseball field. The camp for boys ages 4-7 will run from 5-7:30 p.m. each day, while the sessions for the boys ages 8-15 will run from 5-8 p.m. daily.

The camp will be conducted by UTB-TSC men's soccer team coaches and players. Each participant will receive a T-shirt. The fee for boys ages 4-7 is $75, while the cost for participants ages 8-15 is $125.

The camp will focus on skill work, receiving, passing, shooting, individual and small-sided attacking and individual and small-sided defending. There will be scrimmages at the end of each day.

The camp will help serve as a reminder to the players and coaches that the start of the season is just a short time away, Gamboa said.

"Coach Dan has brought in some new reinforcements (players), and that should help us," Gamboa said. "We made it to the regionals last year, so I'm hoping we can go even farther this season."

Balaguero said he knows Gamboa wants to do well in college so he can one day have a chance to play at the professional level.

"Juan's training habits are second to none, and he's one of the strongest guys on the team with the sec-ond-lowest body fat percentage," Balaguero said. "He has a professional mentality. If he continues to work hard, he will no doubt have an opportunity to play professionally after his collegiate career. I know this is a dream of his, and I know he will give his best shot to make his dream a reality."

For more information about the coming week's UTB-TSC soccer camp, call (956) 372-9099.