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Local soccer player moving to Spain in pursuit of pro careerBy Jon Kuiperijsacrifice for the Iroquois Ridgeof determination that you wantBEAVER SPORTS EDITORstudent, who will be leaving hisso that you can become a pro asfriends and even his parentsearly as possible.Like father, like son? Thats behind, at least for now.The moderate temperatures of what Jaime Garcia is hoping for.It was a big decision for mySpain also allow for a much lon-The Oakville teen is deter-parents to let me go on my own,ger season. Garcia said the soccermined to follow the path of his Garcia said. Its a big sacrificeseason in Spain ends in May andfather, Fernando, a former pro-for my parents, as well.then begins again in July.fessional soccer player whose Fernando, who cut his ownGarcia, who has played rep forcareer included play-professional careerthe Oakville Soccer Club, Erining in the system of short in order toMills and currently Clarkson,If you go overseasfamous Spanish clubbetter provide forhopes that strengths he devel-at a younger age, Real Madrid.his family and isoped while playing in Canada willyou get the culture,So determined isnow an executivecomplement the skills he cana taste of what it's Jaime, in fact, thatchef at a successfuldevelop in Spain.he will be movinglike, the push of restaurant inI think the advantage thatoverseas this sum-Mississauga, willCanadians have over Europeandetermination thatmer in pursuit of hisvisit his son eachsoccer is individual speed, but theyou want.own soccer career.month. And Jaimedisadvantage is the technique of Garcia, a 16-year-said the entire fam-the game and the smarts of the Jaime Garciaold centre-midfield-ily will likely movegame, he said. I think my tech-er, plans to trainback to Spain, even-nique and smarts come fromwith a youth academy in Spain tually.Spanish soccer. But at the samethis fall while studying at a pri-Until then, Garcia plans totime, being in Canada, Ive devel-vate English school.stay at a residence provided byoped a lot of speed andLiving in Spain wont be a whichever club he decides tostrength.completely foreign experience to train with.Hopefully for Garcia, thatGarcia. He was born there and Garcia nearly moved back tohybrid style will lead to a profes-MICHAEL IVANIN / OAKVILLE BEAVERlived there until his family moved Spain last summer, but schoolingsional career. Perhaps even aCHASING A DREAM:Local teen Jaime Garcia will soon be moving toto Oakville when he was two and housing plans fell through.chance to suit up for Real Madrid,Spain to pursue a professional soccer career, following in the footsteps of hisyears old. The family has traveled He also considered a six-monththough he wont wear his fathersfather Fernando.back to its homeland every sum-contract with Englands BoltonNo. 10 if that happens.mer since, and Garcia spent last Wanderersat my age, thats like a wholeroute, you dont hear about many, but turned down theI used to wear his number,summer working out with opportunitysemester.players that took the university because he wouldntbut I didnt really like the num-Atletico De Madrid and Sporting haveGarcia said relocating to Spainroute becoming pro players, he been able to attend schoolber, said Garcia, who now wearsDe Gijon.during that time.should help his development as asaid. If you go overseas at aNo. 14.But moving back to Spain on a It was temptingsoccer player for several reasons.younger age, you get the culture,, he said,You have to carve your ownpermanent basis is still quite the butlike, the push six monthsIn the Canadian and Americana taste of what its without schoolpath at some point.Team effort lifts major midget Vytis to provincial titleAfter losing one of their prelimi-the title. Sakha hit a free throw with nary-round games at last years pro-six seconds remaining in regulation vincials by one point to the eventualto win the semifinal against Hamilton champions, the Oakville Vytis major and led the Vytis in scoring through-midget boys were determined to avoid out the tournament.a similar result this season.In the championship game, Mission accomplished.Oakville trailed 10-2 three minutes The Vytis concluded a solid cam-into the opening quarter. But some paign by winning the Ontario solid work at the free-throw line, Basketball Association AA champion-where the Vytis made 10 of 12 ship recently in Etobicoke. Oakvilleattempts, and strong defence helped won all three of its games in theOakville take a 30-29 lead at halftime, opening round, then edged Hamiltonand the Vytis opened up a lead with 50-49 in the semifinals before rally-an 8-0 run in the third quarter before ing for a 53-47 victory over London holding London off down the in the gold-medal contest.stretch.The beauty of this win, more than Oakville finished the season with anything else, is the fact that everyan overall record of 22-6, earning single player contributed, said Vytisgold at one tournament and silver at head coach Dave Suchanek. You three others.dont often get to say that in a finals Other members of the team are game, but every player contributed. IZachary Suchanek, Matthew think thats why it meant so much to Geronimo, Jamal Fischer, Max the boys.Lambert, Marcus Tutert, Oliver No tournament MVP award was Dooley, Kristijan Petrovic, Jacob handed out, but Suchanek highlight-Henriksen and Michael Butler. Ralph VICTORIOUS VYTIS: The Oakville Vytis major midget boys' basketball team won the provincial AA champi-ed the play of St. Thomas AquinasGeronimo also coaches the Vytis.onship recently in Etobicoke. The Vytis won all five of its contests at provincials, including a 53-47 come-from-behindstudent Yama Sakha as a major key to Jon Kuiperijvictory over London in the title game.www.insideHALTON.com OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, May 26, 2011 24