By Moses Leos III

There was a slight sense of pressure Sunday afternoon when soon-to-be Lehman High sophomore Mark Piedra stepped on the pitch at Lobo Field. After navigating his way through a rigorous tryout process a week previous, Piedra joined 21 other players who got their chance to play in front of professional scouts at the 2015 Copa Vive tournament. While there were some initial nerves, Piedra relished the chance to show his skills. “It’s a lot of pressure, you have to give it your best,” Piedra said. “There are a lot of nerves going through your mind. Different thoughts. But it’s a great experience to be here.” The idea for a showcase tournament was developed by Austinite and former Mexican professional soccer player Sonny Guadarrama. 

According to Guadarrama, Sunday’s showcase tournament at Lehman High was one of the first of its kind held in Central Texas. It featured six teams and had players ranging in age from 14 to 19 years old. Players in the tournament ranged from all parts of the country, with some hailing from Minnesota. All were looking to catch the eye of scouts from five Mexican professional soccer teams, including Nexaca and Chiapas. The caveat was that the tournament was free to participants to take part in. 

Copa Vive began when he and Hays Fiesta promoter Sylvia Gallo approached the City of Kyle and City Manager Scott Sellers to host a tournament in town. 

For Piedra, playing against the competition Sunday offered a new challenge. He said with the added pressure, it was “harder to compete” as each coach from each team brought selected talent from different cities and clubs. “You don’t want to make a mess up, you want to give100 percent,” Piedra said. “If you make a mistake, you think about it, but you have to get over it, keep going and keep playing.” 

While it was the first time Piedra had ever participated in a showcase tournament, it was also an enthralling experience. For Piedra, the ability to play for a chance to join a professional soccer team couldn’t be passed up. “You have to give it a little more than you usually do, because you’re competing for a once in a lifetime opportunity,” he said. 

Joining Piedra was Lehman High junior Diego Garcia, who up until this past season played with the Lobo soccer team. Unlike Piedra, Garcia had experienced previous showcases before. After joining the Scorpions Academy soccer team this season, Garcia played in college showcase tournaments, which allows players to show their skills in front of college recruiters. But he had never had the chance to play in front of professional scouts until Sunday. 

For Garcia, there was little pressure as he knew “most of the guys” who he played against. He said many of them play together during the year while on their respective club teams. While it was a fun experience, Garcia acknowledged that he and many others may not have had the chance if it were not free. “For most of these kids, myself included, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for free,” Garcia said. But the chance for the two to play at their home field was welcome. 

Piedra said playing on his home field helped him relax. He said there wasn’t a sense of seperation from the support of his family and friends. For Garcia, who aspires to play professionally, being able to show his skills at home meant much more. “It’s amazing because whenever people think of Kyle, they ask, ‘what’s Kyle?’” he said. “Everything happens in Austin, or it happens in San Antonio. Never in Kyle. It’s great to have this here, and it’s a great opportunity for players to showcase themselves.”