Building a winning culture

The Union Spartans’ boys soccer program has been on an uptick in the win column the past few seasons, and coach Evert Cruz is the captain of that ship.

“I think that we’re setting expectations,” said Cruz. “And I think we’re holding our athletes accountable.”

Cruz, a Union grad himself, didn’t play soccer as a kid, but played football instead. Watching the drills during summer workouts, one could tell there was a bit of a bleed-over between football and soccer in the coaching philosophy.

When it comes to his coaching style, Cruz says it is “intense,” especially when it comes to meeting expectations. “No matter what position they play, there’s no special treatment for anyone,” he said in an interview this summer.

The theme that hung over the interview, one that Cruz always went back to, was expectations of his players. However, those expectations are impartial. “I wouldn’t tell a player something that I wouldn’t tell my own child,” said the Spartan coach.

Five seniors departed from UHS and its soccer team last year, leaving some gaps for Cruz to fill. These seniors made up the Spartans’ defensive backfield, including their goalie. “I say every year, you have to rebuild,” Cruz said. “If you’ve lost or even if you haven’t lost. Some kids might not come back, you might change some positions. So, every year is a rebuilding.”

“There’s no year where you say, ‘I should be good this year because I was set last year’,” he continued. “You have new players come, you have players leave.”

As far as filling those gaps, Cruz said he is looking at his whole squad. “I am expecting my striker, Jeyck Laguna, and Roco Esparza, to deliver for me as far as the top.”

The Spartans went 11-10 on the pitch last season, which was a big improvement over their 2-12 season in 2021 and 4-14-1 in ‘22. All three of those seasons saw them lose in the first round of the playoffs. Union was third in the Carolina 1A Conference last season, with a conference record of 7-4.

“I believe in leading by example,” Cruz said, on what he’s doing to continue the winning culture for the Spartans. “So, I need to carry myself as a winner. I need to carry myself disciplined. I need the players to see that their coach is a disciplined coach; that their coach wants them to win, and won’t let them down. Therefore, I expect them to do the same thing for me; not let me down.

“I can’t expect them to work hard if I don’t work hard,” he continued. “And they know it. They might not see it, but they know it. They know if the field is painted right, they know if I’m at practice on time, they know if I’m the last one to leave at night. And I’m also a Union Spartan, so that makes a big difference. I went to Union. I want to see my school up there; I want to see my kids up there. So, it comes a little personal.”

Community plays a big factor for Cruz, who also coaches the girls soccer program. This past season, he received honors as the area’s best girls soccer coach of the year.

“I thank the community, just for allowing me to coach their children, and trusting me with their kids,” the Union Spanish teacher and soccer coach said. “We have parents that work long hours; some of our parents work in argriculture and might not have as much time to support as much as I’d want.

“As far as them just allowing me to coach their child,” he continued,“and making the sacrifice to bring them to summer workouts and picking them up at the end after a long day of work … as long as I have that type of support.”

Cruz and the Spartans have their eyes locked in on this season as it quickly approaches. They open their season in a scrimmage with two of the same opponents they started their season with last year, facing off against Princeton and Midway on Aug. 10 at the Soccer in the Swamp Jamboree at Clinton, and their last match of the day for the Spartans will be against Wallace-Rose Hill. One notable opponent they play again this season is Seventy-First from Fayetteville, as they are a much bigger 3A school. They split the series last season.

Union will open its season at Heide Trask on Aug. 14.