Storm Lake Times Pilot

Storm Lake Kickers: ‘We want you’ to make a great soccer club even better

Club welcomes kids of all nationalities


Coach Guero has directions for the team of 13-15-year-olds before they scrimmage at practice. TIMES PILOT photos by DOLORES CULLEN

Storm Lake’s youth soccer club, the Kickers, is proving itself, winning the majority of their matches this season. But the club hopes to grow beyond its 60-some members, and to do so they are welcoming all kids, regardless of nationality to join this primarily Hispanic group.

The Kickers youngest players (ages 8-12) are spread out on the field Sunday afternoon playing a team from Pipestone, Minn. at Field of Dreams.

They had defeated an Omaha team the day before, 8-1, also in Storm Lake. Kids nimbly dribble the ball down the field. They pass the ball to one another.

Members of the three Kickers teams assemble for a photo.

“They’re nine and eight (years old) and they’re really good,” says Raymond Hernandez, 14. He’s watching the younger team and cheering them on. His Kicker team (ages 13-15) will play next.

Up comes a group of older boys. “We all started here,” says Carlos Lopez, now graduated from Storm Lake High School, of the Kickers league. “These guys at a young age are pretty serious.”

The young Kickers are dominating the Pipestone team, keeping all the action on their own half of the field.

Meet Coach Guero

A steady stream of directions comes from the sidelines. It’s the deep voice of the Kickers’ coach José De Jesus Hernandez, 50, known to all as Coach Guero. (Guero, we learned, is a nickname for a Latino with green eyes, and Hernandez has them.)

Kickers founder coach Guero earned his nickname because of his green eyes.

The native of Ayotlan, Mexico used to coach there. Now, in Storm Lake he works at a chicken farm. Late afternoons, evenings and weekends are dedicated to the Kickers.

He founded the team seven years ago. He is its driving force, knowing all the kids’ names and around his neck, a scapular and a whistle. He coaches for free.

Practices run from 6-8:30 p.m. Kids build up their endurance running around Field of Dreams. They repeat drills over and over.

And when there’s a moment of down time, there’s no goofing off, at least that we saw at practice last Thursday evening.

“We’re so grateful to have him,” says team member Fabiola Calderon of this apparently firm coach. “He cheers us on even when we’re not doing great. He not, like, strict in a mean way.”

“We love him,” says one of the younger girls.

“He gets mad, but he has a reason,” says Raymond Hernandez.

Karla Molina, who has a son on the team, admires how Coach Guero encourages the players to do well in school. Not just on the soccer field. “He wants to develop the whole person,” she says.

“As a mother, I see that he makes them focus on getting goals,” says Karina Hernandez. “He teaches them discipline. It keeps them out of trouble.”

Her son Raymond’s team is achieving goals literally, placing first in the Worthington, Minn. tournament and second in the Denison tournament recently.

Saul Bermudez approaches the goal at Sunday’s match against Pipestone.

This year they’re undefeated. They outscored Omaha Saturday 3-1 and Pipestone Sunday 3-1. And by the way, the young kids won against Pipestone Sunday too, 5-1.

This year parents have come forward to help Coach Guero. Omar Orellana coaches the 8-12 team and David Ortiz the girls team ages 11-14.

“I do this because I love it,” says the head coach, in a rare spare minute.

A contribution to the community

Coach Guero’s influence is felt throughout the community. Kickers get outdoor exercise, learn the game of soccer and spend less time in front of a screen, parents say.

Former and current Kickers enrich the Storm Lake High School soccer team. Roberto Martinez, the assistant coach of the Tornadoes, was trained by Coach Guero.

“The Kickers Soccer Club has been a very integral program in helping fill the demand for a competitive soccer in Storm Lake,” says Joe Kucera, director of the school district’s Community Education. “Storm Lake has a very passionate soccer community.”

While Community Ed has a popular spring program, the Kickers soccer Club offers a summer and early fall program that fills the void for the Storm Lake soccer community.

Wilson Jimenez ties his son Wilmer’s shoes before Sunday’s match.

Community Ed allows the Kickers to use Field of Dreams free of charge and this year, for the first time, Community Ed will provide a gym for the club to practice in throughout the winter.

“We’re more than grateful to him (Kucera),” says Jonathan Borjas, one of the many active parents of Kicker players. Keeping costs down for the young players is an ongoing priority.

A $25 charge for jerseys, plus fees for tournament entries are the players’ only financial responsibilities.

Some businesses act as sponsors to help pay for supplies and equipment for training and games, but more are needed.

The Kickers are seeking non-profit status also.

“Maybe we can increase the number of kids and as well be more diverse,” says Jonathan, regarding the outreach effort to add more players. “Maybe we can get to 200.”

Do you have a child who would like to join the Kickers? Would you like to be a sponsor? Please send a message to the Storm Lake Kickers Soccer Club Facebook page.

The senior team runs conditioning exercises at practice. Some of their important tournaments are still coming up: Iowa Games in Ames in September, and Spooky Games in Des Moines and Spencer’s Galaxy Cup in October.