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Show r Soccer coaches are cool! By ROBERT BEAN The Pleasant Grove Viking soccer team began to collect at the high school soccer fields at around 3 p.m. in preparation for a 3:30 soccer game with Carbon. Some players practiced ' around the east goal, others flung frisbees around the midfield, but most. just, sat on the grass and talked. Some fans joined in with the practicing players and tried their hands at goalie. At about 3: 15 the coaches arrived. The three coaches looked rather relaxed for being only minutes away from a game which meant the region championship and the Vikings' first ever undefeated season. Coach Rod Jackman assembled his team by the eastern goal and following a few items of business, such as what color shorts the team would wear to the state tournament, the Vikings gave a yell (they yelled the coach's nickname "Rockin Rod"), and proceeded to thrash Carbon by a score of 6-1. Coach Jackman and his assistants, Jorge Belazo Onen from-Uganda, from-Uganda, and Leon Smith, didn t say much to their own players except "nice shot." What they did do mostly was relax and have a good time. While Coach Smith roamed the sidelines, Jorge could be found joking with J.V. players, and Coach Jackman sat on the grass talking to anyone and everyone about anything but soccer. I'll be honest with ya," says a sincere Jackman, "I don't have any soccer experience. I played four years of Rugby at the U of U and we fairies. I've coached here tw years," remarks the 35-yearS r coach, who will gladly talk your off at any time. "I want to kick footballs at th. Y," says Jorge, whose English J! quite polished. "It was funny,; smiles Jackman, "we lined J0r up at the 25 yard line and gave hi' a football, and he kicked it, and? barely trickled over the crosstJ So we backed him up to the 35 he booted it just barely over gnS ' Jorge says, 'just has to make 'it' s! we back him up to the 45 and booffii I He boots it through, then he couldn't i hit a thing the rest of the day." So, if you find yourself at the r Pleasant Grove soccer game soon and you're bored with the action it's no problem. You can always 0 talk to the coaches. 11 i |