Ebb and Flow

First of all I want to apologize for not writing sooner but my life has gone through the ups and downs that life always likes to bring in unexpected times, literally in my case as I just moved from southern california back up to northern california in Berkeley.  Lets get caught up quickly in the past two weeks.  On Friday Feb 22 I was sent packing from Chivas USA.  I was in preseason with them for three weeks and thought things were going well.  I was playing well, confidence was high, fitness was good but unfortunately it just did not work out.  What went wrong?  Well only the coaches can answer that but all I can do is keep my head up, my nose clean and keep working towards my goals.   

However, that afternoon was tough for not only me but for my parents and my girlfriend.  I think Patty took it the hardest.   A couple hours later I had a flight back to the bay area for the following day and just like that I was gone.  Patty and I went from spending every day together to all of a sudden the next day she was dropping me off at the airport with tears in her eyes waving goodbye as I got on a plane back to Berkeley.  Back to the long distance relationship which we have done for so long already.    

    As I was still enrolled in classes I came back to school on Monday and tried to salvage three weeks of missed classes.  After talking to all four of my professors, only one was willing to work with me and allow me to make up the missed work, which meant I would be doing a semester of work for only four units.  Not what I had in mind and something I didn't want to do so it was back to the drawing board.  I have to thank all of my academic advisors who helped me and are still helping me to graduate.  I have less than 17 units to get my degree from UC Berkeley and I promise you just like I promised my parents that I will graduate.  But for all of you dreamers out there, I am just not ready to give up my dream of playing professional soccer.  

    I have now played professionally for three years and I have had some great times and I have had some rough times.  But once you have that taste you never want it to leave and the passion, well the passion will never die.    

    The past two weeks since my time with Chivas ended has been tough.  My heart was not into school, it was still with futbol.  So while my teachers were saying no to me in school and still not having a team to play for, the only natural thing to do was find another team.  And that has been my goal since.  Literally calling and emailing head coaches, agents, team administrators, anybody that could find me a team.  In all honesty I have learned a lot in the past two weeks, not only how the futbol world works but also how life works when you take the initiative and you say to yourself that you are going to get things done right now, not later but now.  Santiago Canizares, the goalkeeper for Valencia and Spain said once, "I have realized that in football, as in life, commitment can take you a long way.  Without strength of purpose-skill, speed, and strength are worthless."  

    Today I talked to the head coach of the Seattle Sounders and he wants me to come up on a week long trial in two weeks.  Later this afternoon I got another call from the assistant coach of the San Jose Earthquakes and he wants me to come in for a three day trial starting on Monday.  Even though I haven't signed one piece of contract paper Canizares was right, you have to have commitment to make things happen for yourself.  Patty tells me this all the time.  She is amazing when it comes to things like this.  I haven't met one person like her when it comes to making things happen.  If she wants it, she makes it happen, she has no fear, and I admire that in her.  

    So now its time to get ready for these trials...but lets be honest, I'm ready and I can't wait to get out on the pitch and just express myself the way I always have since I was four years old.  Trials have never bothered me to be honest.  In fact I relish in them.  Yes you have to have a bit of an ego when you out there, yes you have to be confident, a bit cocky but its because you are fighting for your livelihood and you have to tell yourself that you are better than the player next to you.  If you can't do that then you don't belong on the same pitch.  

A final prayer to the little sister of my best friend Angel who has been in the hospital for almost two weeks now.  She got pneumonia but it has been further complicated by an enlarged heart. My prayers go out to her and her family.  I have no doubt that she will make a full recovery, I mean she is a Quintero...a tough bunch if you ask me. 

Until next time...