Creating the Foundation: a Conversation with Jair Olivares, Youth Soccer Head Coach

Sports stats



El Paso Locomotive FC

Creating the Foundation: a Conversation with Jair Olivares, Youth Soccer Head Coach

August 10, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
El Paso Locomotive FC News Release


EL PASO, Texas - If there is one face that El Paso Locomotive FC families are familiar with, it is that of Jair Olivares who remains one of the club's few original youth coaches that started back in 2019.

Olivares played a pivotal role in the club's inaugural season to inform local families about Locomotive's ambitions to create and develop premier youth soccer club and academy teams. From extending invitations for meeting with parents to assisting with camps and tryouts, Olivares helped lay major groundwork for the Youth Soccer department.

Olivares - who will serve as the U13 Academy Boys Head Coach next season - helped organize the introduction and development of Locomotive's Blue and Gold club teams in 2020 and has played major parts in the success of several Academy teams within the U13-U20 age groups. As a result, he has seen several of his own players go on to obtain opportunities to play professional and collegiate soccer, notably Diego Abarca, Diego Garcia, Joel Maldonado and current first-team player Emiliano Rodriguez, who was scouted by Olivares.

"For me, the greatest satisfaction is to watch players succeed," Olivares said. "Whether they go pro or go to college, the biggest reward of my job to watch players look back on their time here at Locomotive and tell me how much of a role I played in their lives along the way."

With experience of over 20 years in youth coaching and 13 years in public school teaching, it is no surprise that Olivares finds his purpose in helping local youth hone their skills and talents to find success. Olivares did not grow up having the opportunities or role models he would have liked so he strives to be someone who can help others achieve their goals, a showcase of his great selflessness.

For Olivares, it has been a wonderful opportunity to work within a professional soccer organization like El Paso Locomotive FC to help inspire and grow the youth of tomorrow. Having to balance being a coach and a teacher, he admits that his days can be long and exhausting, but he has no regrets about being a part of the journey from the beginning.

"We have seen players develop and obtain opportunities to play professionally and collegiately," Olivares began. "We have established something truly unique within the Borderplex youth soccer landscape: build out a successful pipeline for local talent. The Locomotive Youth Soccer department has seen a lot of growth since year one and has put in a lot of work to get to this point. Locomotive has been a big part of my own development as a coach, and it has been a great experience to play a part in it all."

MORE ABOUT JAIR OLIVARES

Olivares holds two college degrees: a Bachelor in Kinesiology and Exercise Science from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Master of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration from Lamar University.

He has his B Coaching License from the United States Soccer Federation.

Check out the El Paso Locomotive FC Statistics

• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board...

United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 10, 2024


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central