BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Despite its women’s team losing 5-0 to Navarro College last Friday, the future is still bright for soccer at Texas Southmost College.
This is the view of TSC President Jesús Roberto Rodríguez, who watched the home game with other members in the college leadership team.
Rodríguez pointed out that this is the first season for soccer at TSC and the women’s team was mostly comprised of freshmen. Its players therefore lacked experience and height when compared to their opponents.
“We’ll play our hearts out. We’ll show them how to play Scorpion soccer. Next year, when we go and start, I am confident we win our conference, we will win our region. And then from there you go to the national championship.”
Rodríguez said he based his confidence on the performances of a club team TSC formed last season. He said they competed well against universities and colleges. And, he pointed out, high school soccer teams in Brownsville have won state championships in the past.
Rodríguez was asked, “If our students can win at the high school level, your thinking is there’s no reason they can’t win at the community college level?”
Rodríguez responded. “Absolutely. They’re very talented soccer players. We proved it when we played club soccer. We were playing against universities and twice we went to two conference championships. Once we went to the national tournament. So, yes, we’ve got a high level of soccer in Brownsville.”
This season, TSC signed up with the National Junior College Athletics Association. This has allowed the men’s and women’s teams to play inter-collegiate games.
Rodríguez said TSC was part of the NJCAA about a decade or so back but then dropped out.
“So, we’re making a comeback,” the TSC president said. “There are over 20 regions nationally and we are in Region 14. We play all over Texas, all the way north to Mount Pleasant, which is an hour or so south of Oklahoma.”
There are 11 players in a soccer team. Rodríguez said TSC recruited 35 players for both the men’s and women’s soccer squads. He said when they travel, the teams take 23 players.
Rodríguez said the soccer players must take their academic work seriously.
“They’re student athletes and we emphasize student is first. They have to be enrolled full-time. Each student has enrolled 15 semester credit hours and they have to maintain good standings to continue to play.”
Asked why the TSC board of trustees decided to reintroduce sports, Rodríguez said:
“It’s part of student life. It is part of the dynamics of trying to build the school spirit. There’s a very competitive spirit here with sports and we’ve been playing club soccer for four years now. We found that we can compete at the highest level. So we made the the investment to have a boys and girls team to start the intercollegiate play with the NJCAA.”
Rodríguez continued: “When you look at the Valley, the Valley is strong when it comes to soccer, especially at the secondary level. They play for state championships. So, we realize that we’re set for soccer play. And we recruited all Valley players. Every single player that is here are products of the Valley.”
Rodríguez added: “We’re showing the world how to play Scorpion soccer. I always say, Texas Southmost College is a community college and we’re here to support our communities.”
Editor’s Note: Here is an audio interview with TSC President Rodríguez about Scorpion soccer:
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