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STUSA staff and players include, from left, (back) Robert Biles, Ruben Hernandez and Rico Cruz; (front) Z Hernadez, Ashley Nelson, and Rodrigo Ramirez. Kelli Luberda | Ledger
Rodrigo Ramirez hopes to realize his dream of playing for the USMNT. Kelli Luberda | Ledger
Ashley Nelson shows off her goal-scoring skills. Kelli Luberda | Ledger
Z Hernandez, a junior at Florence High School, is a finalist for a spot in the Olympic Development Program. Kelli Luberda | Ledger
Z Hernandez demonstrates one of his many skills.
Kelli Luberda | Ledger
Southeast Valley Ledger
Three local soccer players have made a commitment to pursue their dreams of playing for the United States Men’s or Women’s National Teams by participating in the Arizona Olympic Development Program (ODP).
Sebastian Hernandez (aka “Z”), Ashley Nelson, and Rodrigo Ramirez all are members of separate San Tan United Sports Academy (STUSA) club teams in addition to their respective high school teams.
The U.S. Youth Soccer ODP aims to identify players of the highest caliber who can contribute to increasing success of the U.S. National Teams.
According to the Arizona Youth Soccer Association website, “The ODP was formed in 1977 to identify a pool of players in each age group from which a National Team will be selected for international competition.”
Development and training are at the forefront of the program.
Z Hernandez, a junior at Florence High School, is currently in the program and is one of 30 finalists remaining from which 22 players will be selected to represent Arizona in regional competition.
Hernandez, a center-midfielder, must go through one final tryout before the Arizona team is finalized in December.
After starting his soccer solely as a recreation player, Hernandez became more serious about the sport after suffering a broken back on the football field during his freshman year.
He was told by doctors he’d be lucky to walk again. He defied the odds and made himself into a potential Olympic-soccer player.
“When I first started, I was still a recreational player and never really had any skills for soccer,” he said. “But going through the training and practices, starting with the STUSA first and then playing with the recreation league started progressing my skills.”
STUSA President Ruben Hernandez (no relation) recalled Z being a little rough around the edges at first.
“Maybe three years ago,” Ruben answered when asked when he knew Z was a candidate to participate in the ODP. “We started thinking we’ve got something (with Z). We sat down, told him he had potential and asked him what he wanted to do. He made the commitment.”
Eventually, Hernandez made STUSA’s club team and his goal of playing for the USMNT started to become a real possibility.
He also had other lofty aspirations.
“I wanted to go as high as I could and I want to try to play professionally,” Z recently told theLedger. “I started setting my goal for that back then.”
Training and competing at the highest level requires long hours and commitment that most younger athletes can’t comprehend. In Hernandez’ case, that’s six to seven hours per day, six days a week, including during the summer and in the heat. During the school year, the hours are reduced to four hours per day so he can concentrate on homework.
Ashley Nelson, a sophomore at Poston Butte High School, is not currently in the ODP, but is on schedule to be a participant at this time a year from now.
Nelson, a striker, started playing soccer when she was five years old. She enrolled in high school a year early as a result of achieving high academics and earned a spot on the Broncos’ varsity team as a freshman, when she was the age of a typical eighth-grader.
When did she start dreaming of playing for the USWNT?
“When I was little,” she responded. “This is all I wanted to do. Every day I wanted play soccer. I knew that’s all I wanted to do for the rest of my life.”
Like Hernandez, Nelson puts in long hours of training, practice, and competition. She understands she has to make sacrifices in her personal life in order to make her dreams a reality.
Parties, sleepovers, and going out to the movies with friends are just a few things she’s had to take a pass on, although she does find time for such events on occasion.
Rodrigo Ramirez, a freshman at Poston Butte High School, started playing soccer at age 11.
During a short career – compared to other elite club players – the center-midfielder has learned quickly, according to the STUSA President.
“Once he started on the club team we saw his improvement,” Ruben Hernandez said. “The skills that might take other athletes a year-and-a-half or even two years to develop, Rodrigo accomplished in one year.”
Ramirez, who started playing in STUSA as a 12-year-old, knew right away he wanted to participate in the ODP.
“I worked for a lot of hours to improve my skills,” he said. “And I knew this [ODP] is something I wanted to do. I’m passionate about it.”
All three players hope to fulfill their dreams, albeit separately. Still, through the ODP they each hope to show the powers-that-be the same thing.
“I’m looking forward to showing I’m a unique player,” said Ramirez, likely sharing similar thoughts of Hernandez and Nelson. “I can definitely help a national squad.”
Andrew Luberda began writing for Copper Area News Publishers (CANP) in February 2013 after working 15 years in Healthcare Financial Management. Andy covers sports for 11 high schools. His stories are published in Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner and Superior Sun, in addition to the San Tan Valley Daily PRSS and CopperArea websites. Additionally, he has written human interest stories and business profiles. In May 2012, he earned an AAS in Sports Management at Central Arizona College before graduating with a BS in Communication from Arizona State University in 2014. He and his wife, Kelli, have three sons – AJ, Kyle, and Kade.
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