Surveys taken at the Pasadena district's four high schools on Jan. 12 to gauge interest in establishing soccer and girls softball at the schools clearly revealed one thing: there is great demand for boys soccer at Dobie.
But, according to athletic director Gerald Meyer, there is not sufficient interest in offering soccer at the other high schools or in offering girls soccer at Dobie.
The following totals for those interested in playing boys soccer are: Dobie 56; South Houston, 19; Pasadena, 8; Rayburn, 7.
For girls soccer, the following counts have been made available: Dobie, 18; South Houston, 6; Pasadena, 4; and Rayburn, 0.
Meyer said squads need to carry about 20 players; therefore, there needs to be a larger number of students interested than there are openings on a team.
The following number of girls are interested in playing varsity softball: Rayburn, 29; Pasadena, 26; Dobie, 25; and South Houston, 8.
Meyer said the district is continuing to study the feasibility of offering softball are forthcoming.
Meyer said the biggest obstacle in offering softball is in getting a schedule of opponents. He knows of only three schools in the Houston area which participate in UIL softball: Humble, Alvin, and North Shore.
At this time, Meyer said, the UIL has no softball playoffs.
Because of the large number of boys interested in playing soccer at Dobie, the board last week approved establishing a pilot program at Dobie for next fall.
The season is expected to run in December, January, and February.
Meyer does not know at this time in which UIL district Dobie will play, but he will probably have that information by September or October.
Several schools are expected to add soccer next year, Meyer said.
The selection of a soccer coach will be made at a later date. "I want someone who knows soccer," said Meyer.
He added that it would be ideal if the coach were someone who was already on the Dobie faculty.
(a few weeks later...)
Schmitz to Coach Dobie Soccer
In the shadows of this football 'mad' state comes a rising sport ready to burst upon the scene ready to burst upon the scene like a space shuttle. A game termed "foreign" by some because of the lack of hand and arm use, this team sport combines the skill and coordination of a football, baseball and basketball player with the leg strength of a trackster. Soccer is it's name, and sweeping the country is its game.
The "new kid" in town will make its debut at Dobie High School next winter and newly appointed soccer coach Jon Schmitz can hardly wait. Schmitz, also Dobie's athletic trainer, will take the reigns for Dobie's inaugural soccer team when school beings next fall.
"I'm really excited about it," said Schmitz who looks upon his new job as a challenge. . . .
Schmitz said he would be working with the soccer players during sixth period, thus leaving time during the day to athletes who may seek his training abilities. "I've had sixth period classes before and it never seemed a problem. It (the time spent with soccer) really shouldn't affect me (trainer duties)," Schmitz said. . . .
Dobie's newest coach said he believes the team can be competitive immediately. "I've seen some of the 80 kids who signed up to play in their league games. There's a lot of talent out out there. It's kind of like picking an all-start team," Schmitz said about his enviable task of selecting players from the Sagemont Area Soccer Association league. "There players are coming from a good foundation (the SASA) and I have the support of the league," Schmitz said.
Dobie's initial 20 (the exact number is not known) or so uniforms will be simple, according to Schmitz, who does not want the uniforms to overshadow the team's play.
In their firs tyear, the Longhorns will play a maximum of 16 regular season games and two tournaments. That scheduling will not be made official until after a meeting on Sept. 15 which will decide in what district Dobie will play as well as the site of Dobie's home games.
All-Smiles Schmitz
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