- SSFAC
- South San Francisco Shooters
The Players Who Paved The Way - Part FourSubmitted by Mike on Sat, 2023-05-27 13:07 |
We Honor our Teammate, our Leader, our Coach, and our Friend, Gareth Lea
Over the course of time, players come and go as the team's roster is | |
forever changing, but sometimes a player comes along that changes | |
the dynamic of the team. A player that brings knowledge, skill, | |
athleticism, confidence, and the poise needed to lead his club. A | |
player that is a terrific teammate, leads by example and is someone | |
you can count on when a big moment is needed in a match. For | |
SSFAC, that player was....... Gareth Lea. |
As the 2012 season was about to begin, SSFAC was looking to make a |
run at the top spot in the Premier Division. They knew it would be a tall |
task as they they were coming off a 2nd place finish to league champion |
Palo Alto SC. Having led the league in scoring with 54 goals and racking |
up 11 wins, the team seemed to be hitting their stride. Now they would |
have to deal with fellow competitors Shaheen, Outsiderz, Club Sport |
Maritimo and Rovers, but this season would be different. The style of play |
was about to change the teams hopeful ascension to the top of the table. |
Gone was the over the top long ball attack, as well as the defensive |
strategy of just clearing the ball out of danger. |
The team was now playing the game with a calm confident approach, and |
they were building play out of the back and holding possesion as they |
came up field. The difference was the addition of Gareth Lea to the Center |
Midfield position. Joining the team for the 2012 season, Gareth quickly |
brought an element of a steady poised and controlled tempo. He knew |
when to ramp things up and push the attack, and he knew when to slow |
things down and settle into a pace that would allow for everyone to |
become involved in the play. His vision and experience was the valueable |
tool that had been missing. Gareth became the "center of the teams |
universe" as he made sure that the way the teams play was like gliding a |
paint brush over a canvas. |
It changed the course the team was on and during his 10 seasons with |
the team, they complied a record of 89 wins, 66 losses and 26 ties. They |
were promoted to the PSL Majors Division in his 1st season and then won |
the Majors Division in 2021. Gareth tallied 22 goals and 14 assists for the |
team during that run, and became the teams Player/Coach in 2019. His |
contributions gave SSFAC it's most successful run in the clubs storied |
history and has provided them with tools and confidence needed as they |
have taken their game to the next level as part of the Pacific Division of |
the Southwest Premier League. |
Recently we had a chance to catch up with Gareth and get his thoughts o |
on an amazing career |
Q. How old were you when you first started playing? |
GL: "I started to play football (soccer) at the young age of 6." |
Q. What opportunities did you have to play while living in England as a |
youngster? |
GL: "I had many opportunities playing soccer as a kid, but my favorite is |
that I got to play the game with my best friends at school." |
Q. Did you play any other sports as a child? |
GL: "I played many different sports as a kid growing up in England. I |
played tennis, badminton and basketball." |
Q. At what point did you know that soccer was the sport you'd stick |
with? |
GL: "I knew straight away that soccer would be the game for me because |
the game felt natural to me and I had so much fun playing in a team with |
friends." |
Q. Your best memory as a youth player? |
GL: "My best memory as a youth player was playing for my local team |
Hawthorns. My Dad was the coach and we got to a final and played at |
Southend United's stadium. It was a big deal because you don't get many |
chances to play there. It was a dream come true for me and my |
teammates! Later on, playing as an over 18 was a bit of an eye opener. |
With guys much much older, it was a real physical battle out on the field." |
Q. When did you move to the U.S.? |
GL: "I came to the US in 2012. This was the first time I had lived in a |
different country." |
Q. What was the most difficult change you had to adapt to upon arriving |
here.? |
GL: "The most challenging thing coming to the US was pretty much |
starting your whole life again from scratch." |
Q. How did you become involved in playing in an adult league in this |
area.? |
GL: "I got involved in playing soccer in the US by contacting some teams |
on Craigslist." |
Q. When did you join SSFAC and how did that happen? |
GL: "I was playing for Monks Kettle in a league in the City. One of their |
players, Scott Ellis, mentioned to me that SSFAC were having tryouts and |
that I should come along. So I did and the rest is history." |
Gareth's First Season with the Team
SSFAC 2012-13, 2nd Place PSL Premier Division
Front Row L to R, Luis De Paz, Dilian Donev, Omar Nawabi, Leandro |
Monteiro, Fabio Marques, Blair Smith, Hany Helmy, Back Row L to R, Abner |
Ramos, Paul Pavich, Scott Ellis, Bobby Quinlan, Gareth Lea, Damian Hites, |
Coach Daniele, Coach Mike |
Q. What if any, is the difference in playing in the US as compared to |
England? |
GL: "The level of playing soccer in the US is quite similar to England. |
Maybe in England it was a little bit more technical and physical." |
Q. Any teammates that stood out over the years while at SSFAC? |
GL: "There were many good teammates who played for SSFAC, so it's |
hard to pick out certain players. For me, when the team worked hard for |
each other, we were a formidable force!" |
Q. Is there one game specifically that leaves you with a special memory? |
GL: "There's many games that leave me with special memories, but there |
was a particular game, I think it was the first game of the 2013-14 season, |
and we played Shaheen and won the game 6-0. The team that day played |
extremely well! It was a pleasure to be out on the field that day." |
Q. Name one team you enjoyed playing against the most and why? |
GL: "One team I loved playing against was Santa Clara Sporting. It was |
always a great battle!" |
Q. Your best moment while playing for SSF? |
GL: "One of my best moments playing for SSFAC was helping the team |
promoted to the Majors Division." |
Q. Looking back at your playing days, how would you characterize your |
experience playing on the team? |
GL: "I look back on my playing days with SSFAC with cherished |
memories. It was a real honor to pull on the jersey. I had so much fun and |
had some amazing teammates and some truly wonderful coaches." |
Q. You took over as player coach for the team in 2019, what was that |
experience like? |
GL: "Taking over as coach of SSFAC was a tough transition. I still wanted |
to play, but I knew I had to sacrifice my time on the field to help the guys |
from the sidelines." |
Q. What advice would you give to todays players starting out? |
GL: "My advice to players starting out is to work hard and listen to the |
coaches. It's tough, but you've got to keep a positive mindset." |
Q. What is your favorite professional team, and the player you love to |
watch? |
GL: "My favorite pro team is Liverpool. My local team from England is |
Southend who play in the National League. Favorite player to watch....... |
Messi ! |
Q. Did soccer open any opportunities for you that you didn't expect, and |
how has it helped you? |
GL: "Soccer gave me many opportunities to meet new people and build |
special relationships with them." |
Hangin With My Guys !! |
Q. What lies ahead for you now that you've retired from playing? |
GL: "Now that I've stopped playing for SSFAC, I hope to take on a role of |
a consultant to the club. Also I have a family, so my life is pretty busy!" |
Q. You've had many roles in soccer,...... player, coach, management of |
the team....what did you like the best? |
GL: "My favorite role in soccer is playing out on the field. I do also like |
helping youngsters who are just starting off in their careers." |
Q. What is your favortie takeaway from your playing days with the team |
and one thing you remember that will always leave you with a smile? |
GL: "I've had many many great years with SSFAC. It is so hard to pick a |
favorite moment. Every season I played or coached in, was fantastic. To |
wear the SSFAC jersey for 10 years was a true blessing. Also to see the |
best coach (Mike Pizzo) in the world smiling at the end of the game was |
truly wonderful! |
From day one, it was obvious to everyone on the team that having Gareth |
join them was a blessing. It was like he had always been there. He |
blended in immediately and his passion for the game rubbed off on his |
teammates. Winning was fun of course, but Gareth made sure that his |
team knew what it would take to be successful. If they suffered through a |
tough outting, he would emphasize the positives and encourage everyone |
to respond as he knew they could. When he spoke, his teammates were |
focused on every word, because they understood the message, and the |
way he delivered it was always inspirational. Gareth brought the best out |
in his teammates. He played the game not only with his abilities, but also |
but also with his heart. |
SSFAC had found it's leader.... a tough competitor, who gave it all he had |
every time he stepped on the pitch. His example and work ethic along |
with his ability to see the game like no one else could, brought seasons of |
success to the club. In his final seasons, leading the team as its Coach |
was a fitting end to his story. He was the ultimate teacher and role model, |
but most of all he was an amazing guy and a wonderful friend. The PSL |
and the SWPL teams he faced as a player and a Coach, had so much |
respect for him and the way he guided the team. After a match, every |
opponent made sure to come over and shake his hand. That speaks |
volumes about the impact he made on all those he came in contact with. |
His playing days may have come to an end, but the foundation he built for |
this team going forward will be his crowning achievement. Knowing that |
he is just a phone call away when the guys need his input, advice, and a |
little bit of TLC, will surely make the future just as bright as the last 10 |
seasons were. As it has always been said...." Once your a part of the |
SSFAC family....you are so FOREVER." |
THANK YOU GARETH !!!! |