After closing out an impressive high school career as the Bulletin’s 2009 Soccer Defensive Player of the Year, Gabriel Lopez is continuing with his soccer aspirations, competing this season with the Des Moines Menace of the Premier Development League in Iowa.
Lopez joined the Menaces’ organization earlier this year, learning under the tutelage of former Major League Soccer coach Laurie Calloway. Calloway was actually the head coach for the San Jose Earthquakes in 1985 when Gabriel’s’ father, Alex, played for the legendary coach.
The Menaces serve as one of the top talent pipelines for MLS teams, and provides players with an opportunity to climb the professional ladder. Competing with the elite opportunity club gave Lopez a glimpse at the demands it will take to achieve his goals in professional soccer.
“It was a great opportunity and immediately I could see how the game comes a lot faster,” Lopez said. “You have to be so much stronger and everything that you do has to be precise.
“You have great players from all over the world; it’s like you cannot make any mistakes.”
Lopez was joined on the Menaces-20’s team by first cousin and former Manteca High teammate Beto Lopez. Lopez was also a member of the Iowa based organization, and the pair clearly established a reliable support system for one another to lean upon.
“I know having Beto out there made things easier for me,” Gabriel said. “He would always keep me going and we are family, so that gave you somebody you could depend on no matter what.”
The pair recently returned from the Midwest after an injury curtailed Gabriel’s play. Avoiding the college circuit and trying to find a path to the pros through the developmental league circuit is not always an easy task. Gabriel knows where he stands, and feels that playing soccer on the professional level is definitely a goal that is proving obtainable.
“The coach (Calloway) told me before I left that I was right there in my shot at making the big team,” Gabriel said. “He feels that I have just a little ways to go to be ready. Skills wise, I think that I am there technically, but my body still has a ways to catch up.
“I am just focused on training everyday and getting more consistent in my game.”
Lopez joined the Menaces’ organization earlier this year, learning under the tutelage of former Major League Soccer coach Laurie Calloway. Calloway was actually the head coach for the San Jose Earthquakes in 1985 when Gabriel’s’ father, Alex, played for the legendary coach.
The Menaces serve as one of the top talent pipelines for MLS teams, and provides players with an opportunity to climb the professional ladder. Competing with the elite opportunity club gave Lopez a glimpse at the demands it will take to achieve his goals in professional soccer.
“It was a great opportunity and immediately I could see how the game comes a lot faster,” Lopez said. “You have to be so much stronger and everything that you do has to be precise.
“You have great players from all over the world; it’s like you cannot make any mistakes.”
Lopez was joined on the Menaces-20’s team by first cousin and former Manteca High teammate Beto Lopez. Lopez was also a member of the Iowa based organization, and the pair clearly established a reliable support system for one another to lean upon.
“I know having Beto out there made things easier for me,” Gabriel said. “He would always keep me going and we are family, so that gave you somebody you could depend on no matter what.”
The pair recently returned from the Midwest after an injury curtailed Gabriel’s play. Avoiding the college circuit and trying to find a path to the pros through the developmental league circuit is not always an easy task. Gabriel knows where he stands, and feels that playing soccer on the professional level is definitely a goal that is proving obtainable.
“The coach (Calloway) told me before I left that I was right there in my shot at making the big team,” Gabriel said. “He feels that I have just a little ways to go to be ready. Skills wise, I think that I am there technically, but my body still has a ways to catch up.
“I am just focused on training everyday and getting more consistent in my game.”
