This article was originally published by PrepSoccer staff writer, Matt Smith, on the PrepSoccer website. Matt Smith is a special news and communications correspondent with SF Elite Academy and will providing viewers with an inside look into SF Elite and what makes our club so special.
We’ve spent time discussing the San Francisco Elite boys players that garner the headlines by playing in forward positions, banging in goals and gaining glory. We’ve talked about the midfielders, who create, facilitate and distribute. Now it’s time to talk about the players that don’t get as much attention, the ones you do not notice as much when they are doing their job. It’s time to focus on the defenders. Jimmy Aguilar | Hoover Middle | Outside Defender Aguilar plays right back for the 2008 SF Elite team and is very reliable and consistent. He is a player that can add value in a number of ways, starting with being a defense first outside back. This allows him to be in good positions before an attack, resulting in the attacking players having a difficult time getting around him. Going forward, he is good with the ball at his feet and has the ability to help create transition opportunities.
Atticus English | Lick-Wilmerding | Central Defender English plays for the 2007 SF Elite team, and plays his high school soccer at Lick-Wilmerding. He is an outstanding physical athlete with a very high soccer IQ. He reads the game really well, and picks up just about everything that tries to come through the back line while playing centrally. He can also push forward and play in the attack as well. Jerson Gonzalez | June Jordan | Central Defender Gonzalez, who plays on the 2008 team with Aguilar, is a very athletic defender and he thrives on both sides of the ball. He can cover quite a bit of ground while defending, and is successful in shutting down 1v1 situations all over the pitch. He is good moving the ball, using his knowledge of space to free up players around him with quick passes. He is also very mobile, allowing him to get up and down the pitch and exploit the other team while on the attack. Gonzalez is an unrelenting worker. His work ethic really sets him apart. He plays high school at June Jordan. Issey Lancelot | Lycee Francais de San Francisco | Central Defender Lancelot is a standout player on the SF Elite 2008 team, and for good reason. He is a dynamic, versatile player who can play anywhere across the back four. He is very intelligent, always thinking a move ahead of an attacking player in order to anticipate what he is going to do. He plays for Lycee Francais de San Francisco High. Julian Totozintle | Archbishop Riordan | Central Defender Totozintle, who plays for the 2007 team and also at Archbishop Riordan, is a very versatile player who can literally play anywhere on the pitch. He is strong with both feet, he’s very fast and he’s quite agile. He has a great shot, not just for a central defender, but for any player on the pitch. He is a player with a very bright future.