Jag soccer team blends culture, school pride

[KFDM COOP]

Jag soccer team blends culture, school pride

The Port Arthur News

Having been head football coach at Fonville Middle School in Houston, where the student population is 90 percent Hispanic, Tony Cox felt he was ready two years ago when he asked for and received the job as coach of Beaumont Central’s largely Hispanic soccer team.

Well, he’s a lot more ready now.

Cox, a Beaumont French grad, has led Central’s Jaguars to the playoffs for the first time in 19 years. Until Lumberton’s 2-1 win in the District 20-4A championship match Tuesday night, the Jaguars hadn’t lost this season.

They carry an 18-1 record into the playoffs this weekend, a postseason that will be without the Nederland boys for the first time in 17 years.

“I think when people relate soccer, they related it to Port Neches, Lumberton and Nederland,†said Cox, 42. “Vidor had a great team last year. But Central’s known for football and basketball.

“The 1988-89 year was the only time Central ever went to the playoffs in soccer. I think it’s been a while since they had a guy that really cared about the kids, that really saw what these kids were capable of.â€

In the last couple of months, I’ve had several coaches in other sports tell me about the Central soccer team. “They’re the story of the year in sports,†they say for the way they’ve beaten the traditional Mid-County and Hardin County powers.

But I haven’t seen that sentiment reflected in news coverage emanating from Central’s hometown. Cox tells me that KBTV Channel 4’s James Ware has been the exception.

“These kids deserve a lot more recognition than they’ve gotten,†Cox said Tuesday evening.

As someone whose work assignments cover seemingly every sport but soccer, I had never heard Cox’s name until Tuesday afternoon. That’s when I called Memorial girls’ soccer coach Phillip Mattingly and asked about Central’s team.

This year, Mattingly coached Memorial’s girls to their best season ever, an 8-12 campaign. And first-year Memorial boys’ coach Brian Morgan has high hopes for his young squad, which went 2-11-1 in tough District 21-5A.

Both Port Arthur soccer teams are, like Central, largely Hispanic.

Which makes sense. Hispanics make up 33.5 percent of students in Port Arthur and 12.8 percent of students in Beaumont. Cox says soccer has replaced baseball as the sport of choice for Hispanic boys.

“Even though you’ve got Hispanic guys, you’ve got to put together a club to beat the Nederlands and Port Necheses, which he has done,†Mattingly says, lauding Cox. “You’ve got to do a little coaching.â€

Mattingly says he’s had to overcome some cultural differences to get his Lady Titans’ program going.

[Jsmity]

I think as soon as Central gets out of the area they are one and done... I dont think they have the overall personel to beat some of the more well rounded Houston teams... JMO...

[Guest Soccerfan]

Good Luck Central

[sharkfutbol]

yea looks as tho all the beaumont schools are going the same route.  central is probably the best team in beaumont tho.  scuse me.. public school ..  got that in before i got butchered

[Jsmity]

really though???... I dont think Central would beat WB if they played right now.... and if they played Kelly... WOW... it wouldnt be pretty...I know Central is considered to be a good team... and they are... dont get me wrong... BUT... they played in a very very very very very very very very weak district... and I think that once they get out of this area.... they will lose... and lose convincingly...

[Fernando9]

really though???... I dont think Central would beat WB if they played right now.... and if they played Kelly... WOW... it wouldnt be pretty...I know Central is considered to be a good team... and they are... dont get me wrong... BUT... they played in a very very very very very very very very weak district... and I think that once they get out of this area.... they will lose... and lose convincingly...

man u need to shut up ... your allways talkin down on central !!! and i guarantee you that we would kill westbrook if we played them right now ...... i am 100% sure that we would win that game .... i know that it wouldnt be the case against kelley but i know for a fact that we would beat westbrook .... earlier this year our coach tried to set up a scrimage against westbrook and coach smith didnt want to ...... iam not sure why ??? he was probably scared !!!!!

[Jsmity]

I need to shut up???.. yea ok coming right up... I never said anything bad about your team dude... I said you are a good team... just that you play in a weak district... and I think that is going to hurt you when you start playing teams out of this area.... What teams have you played that arent from SETX???????.... have you guys played a team thats the calliber of a Klein Oak or Friendswood or some of the other Houston area teams..... and you might beat WB if you played right now.. to each his own oppinion... it would be close though... theres no way you would kill them... and you know that... they have a top 15 defense in 5A soccer and held the #7 team in the nation to one goal...  and I dont know why Coach Smith didnt schedule the schrimage.... I do know that their schedule was full in November... maybe your coach waited till the last minute... I dont know...

[Fernando9]

LOL ... IF U SAY SO MAN !!