Locomotive sign eight local youths to Academy contracts, can play USL games
One year ago, Diego Abarca created one of the great moments in the history of the El Paso Locomotive when he scored a USL goal at the age of 16 and made SportsCenter's top 10.
Peleg Armendariz was a 16-year-old in Austin then before his move to Santa Teresa, but he knows fully what that moment meant.
"He was me last year," Armendariz said of Abarca.
One year after Abarca was one of 10 players from the Locomotive's Academy (the U20 team) to sign an academy contract with the USL team, eight local boys from ages 15 to 17 signed contracts Wednesday. They are now eligible to play for the Locomotive first team in USL games, and while they won't get paid, they retain collegiate eligibility.
Of the players from last year's Academy class, Abarca and Joel Maldonado went on to sign first-team contracts with the Locomotive making them full-time pros, and another who played in Locomotive games last year, Noe Coutino, is now at the University of Vermont playing for its top 10 Division I team. In two and a half years of fielding youth soccer, the Locos system has produced nine collegiate players.
While nothing is being promised to the eight players who signed contracts Wednesday — Armendariz, Marton Demko, Alex Estrada, Finnley O'Brien, Damion Perez, Rommel Tarin, Sandiago Vargas and Joseluis Villagomez — they now have an opportunity.
Their first assignment is the Locomotive's U20 Academy team, but they can train with the USL squad and get in games. The players are from all over El Paso, with four of them attending Canutillo, which partners with the Locomotive (none of them will play UIL high school soccer).
"My job is two jobs," youth director and U20 team coach Ivan Militar said. "I want us to be the best Academy in the region. We want to have the best players and provide them the best opportunities.
"The other one is more related to what we're doing here: To send kids to college or create players for the first team. ... Today we are celebrating their achievement and the opportunity that can come."
Locomotive coach Brian Clarhaut is excited about the opportunity to continue working with them. All have trained with the first team.
"It's important for us as a club and a community to embark on development and develop our own home-grown products," Clarhaut said. "These are players who can contribute for us this season and do a very good job when called upon for training or for the first team."
The idea is that some of these eight can follow in the footsteps of Abarca.
"My experience with the Academy is one I'll never forget, traveling with my teammates, seeing places, playing different types of football, playing competitive football," said Abarca, a featured speaker at the press conference. "I've learned a lot through the coaches here, the coaches last year. It's a blessing signing these contracts.
"I signed it as well last year, it was a very special moment for me and hopefully it's a special moment for them as well."
There was no doubt about that.
"The first step to a professional career is what every player wishes they could get," said Armendariz, a center midfielder. "I have no words, I'm speechless right now, but I just want to give my best on the field, for my teammates, for the first team and truly bring in what I've accomplished."
The hope is that some of the eight players who signed Wednesday will be part of the Locomotive future.
Bret Bloomquist can be reached at 915-546-6359; bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Locomotive sign 8 local youths to Academy contracts, can play in USL
