Youth athlete returns as soccer coach

By Tina Ray
Paraglide

	Photos by Tina Ray/Paraglide Captain Amy Rodriguez high-fives Isaac Smith during a soccer game at Polo Field June 5. Rodriguez played soccer for the Strykers as a young child. Now, she serves as the Strykers coach for Child, Youth and School Services.

When Amy Rodriguez was the young daughter of a Fort Bragg Soldier, the first team she played soccer for was the Strykers as a five or six-year-old child.
Today, as an Army captain with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 407th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, Rodriguez is the coach of the Strykers team for 7 and 8 year olds through Child, Youth and School Services.

“I really enjoyed it when I played and it’s a lot of fun for me,” she said. “I just have a good time. It’s fun to watch and be a part of.”

There are 16 children on the team, said Rodriguez, who works on teaching them soccer fundamentals.
Joseph Smith serves as the team’s assistant coach. He seemed impressed with Rodriguez’s coaching skills.

“She’s doing good. She’s really aggressive,” said Smith, father of teammate, Isaac Smith. “She’s caring towards the kids. It’s very genuine.”

Tina Medina watched her son, A.J., play in the game against Blue Lightning June 5 at Polo Field.
Medina said she was grateful that Rodriguez would coach a team despite not being a parent.

“She’s very good. I appreciate that she gave her time cause she has no kids and she came out here and did this for the children,” Medina said. “All of us have kids and not one of us volunteered.”

Rodriguez took the time to teach A.J. new defensive moves, Medina said. It will only enhance a game that A.J. has enjoyed for the past four years.

Justice Maddox is Strykers teammate No. 22. During this past season, he liked being coached by Rodriguez.

“She teaches us how to play soccer; to keep the ball away from others,”he said.

The Strykers fell to Blue Lightning 4 to 1, but the game is not all about winning.

For Rodriguez, coaching was a no-brainer.

“If a lot of young adults that don’t have kids came and coached, they’d get the experience of teaching younger kids,” Rodriguez said. “It (soccer) was always a big part of my life growing up. It’s kind of cool to be on the other side of the fence.”

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