Great soccer players, greater sports

For their soccer, they got silver. For their sportsmanship, the Cedar Grove-Belgium High School girls and their fans were gold.

Despite coming as close to a state championship as possible on June 25, losing a sudden-death shootout, 4-3, to Brookfield Academy in the Division 4 final after 110 minutes of soccer yielded a 1-1 tie at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee, the heartbroken Rockets smiled through still-drying tears and cheered as they accepted the silver ball trophy.

That, along with their candor, demeanor and attitude, earned them a Rural Mutual Insurance Team Sportsmanship Award from the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association.

“Cedar Grove-Belgium received positive evaluations for their team sportsmanship and positive fan support to earn them the honor in girls soccer for the first time,” a WIAA release said.

For first-year coach Zac Garza, the honor is unique.

“Something like this is just truly special to be able to experience as a program,” he said.

“We work so hard on trying to be the best people we can be first and the best soccer team second.  That’s a recurring theme for us. We make that very clear.”

Sportsmanship award winners are determined by the conduct and sportsmanship displayed by athletes, coaches, cheer and support groups, mascots, bands and spectators. Additional consideration is given for the effort of school administrators and chaperones to ensure support for their teams is positive and that the highest ideals of sportsmanship are demonstrated, according to the WIAA.

The selection process includes evaluations from contest officials and tournament management as well as security personnel, crowd control, ushers and WIAA staff members.

The Rockets (15-1) knocked out previously undefeated Assumption earlier in the day of the title match with Brookfield Academy, but that wasn’t the first time they showed their character.

Earlier in the season, Garza only put eight players on the field — less than the usual 11 — in a game at winless Lomira, which didn’t have enough players to field a full team. It was the first time an opponent had matched the Lions’ lineup all season, and their coach was appreciative.

Garza remembered a few years ago when the team held a benefit for an Ozaukee High School boy fighting cancer and raised $800 at a home game.

Not all teams carry themselves the way the Rockets do. Garza said he remembers hearing a story of a runner-up in a different sport throwing and damaging the trophy because its members were so upset at losing. Garza couldn’t fathom such an act.

“It was the toughest way to lose on the biggest stage of all — to see my team accept that trophy with such dignity and honor, it made me proud,” he said.

It isn’t, however, uncommon for a Garza-led team to be gracious, despite the result. Elias Garza, Zac’s father, coached the Rocket boys and girls for years and consistently emphasized that his players be good students and individuals during post-game interviews. Elias is now an assistant coach on his son’s team.

“It’s something we personally always strive for. I’ve always believed it, learning it from him growing up,” Zac Garza said.

“That’s always been the goal. Whether we win, whether we lose, we want to be good people first. That’s what makes a difference.”

Garza said being good sports is not about getting trophies, but the honor can help validate what he tries to instill in his players.

“We’re not doing it to look good. We’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do,” he said.

“At the same time, it feels good. I can show this to the gals.”

High School Principal Josh Ketterhagen said the award is an honor.

“It says a lot about our girls soccer program, Coach Garza, his staff and our girls. They are a great soccer team and an even better team of players and coaches with great character and a lot of class. They play the game of soccer the right way,” he said. “It is also a great reflection of our community and fans.”

 The Rockets’ boys team received the award in boys soccer in 2006 under coach Papa Pozo. The Rockets lost, 2-1, to Columbus in the semifinals.