Valley soccer players receive college scholarships

Generating college scholarship money for South Texas high school soccer players has been one of Juan de Dios Garcia's main goals as president of the Rio Grande Valley Soccer Coaches Organization.

The newly formed organization is awarding scholarship money to four Valley soccer athletes who are 2008 high school graduates.

The recipients include Betsy Rodriguez and Iliana Cantu, both of Valley View, and Weslaco East's Jorge Alberto Marquez and Harlingen High's David Thomas Bazan. Each is receiving a $500 scholarship.

"I'm so happy we're able to give out the scholarship money," said Garcia, Hanna's longtime boys soccer coach. "I believe we've got something good going, and I'm excited for next year because we're only going to get stronger as an organization and be able to do more."

The RGVSCO raised money for the scholarships by staging East-West all-star games at Weslaco's Bobby Lackey Stadium on May 8.

In the boys match, Marquez scored a pair of goals to highlight the East's 4-2 victory, while the West won the girls contest 1-0.

Garcia said the college scholarship recipients were selected by state-level officials from the Texas Association of Soccer Coaches (TASCO).

"We felt it would be much better and more impartial for them (TASCO) to do it, and they were happy to help," the Hanna coach said.

"We're hoping for more membership so our Valley organization can grow stronger," he added.

For more information about RGVSCO, call Garcia at 371-5844.