For Immediate Release
July 18, 2011

Erik Gaspar Hired to Coach Men’s Soccer at Cañada College

The former Valley Christian High School coach is very familiar with the Coast Conference.

Erik Gaspar, a former player and assistant coach in the Coast North Division, has been hired to coach the men’s soccer team at Cañada College. Gaspar had been the head coach at Valley Christian High School where he also worked in the athletic department.

Gaspar replaces former coach Ruedi Graf who resigned earlier this year.

“Cañada is a great opportunity,” Gaspar said. “I have a lot of experience in this league so I’m familiar with the level of soccer and what it takes to be successful. It’s very competitive and has some great teams.”

Gaspar played for two years at West Valley College in Saratoga and later served as an assistant for two years at Evergreen Valley College in San Jose. He also served as head coach at Piedmont High School.

To be successful at Cañada, Gaspar said he has to recruit and retain quality student athletes. “We don’t want players who come in for one year and then leave,” he said. “We want players who are serious about their academics and their soccer and have a commitment to stay for two years. Continuity is important. The best teams in this league have a good number of players returning year after year. You can’t start from scratch every year if you want to be successful.”

Gaspar said he’ll recruit the local area but he’s not looking for specific position players in his first recruiting class. “I don’t know that there is one position or one person that can turn it around,” he said. “It’s more important to have players that are willing to make the commitment and play our system.”

Linda Hayes, Dean of Business, Workforce and Athletics, said Gaspar stood out during interviews. “He was very well prepared,” she said. “He’s going to be an excellent addition to our athletic department and will field successful teams.”

For more information, contact Robert Hood, Director of Marketing and Public Relations, at hoodr@smccd.edu or 306-3340