Perez continues international soccer journey

The paths leading into the future for Weiser’s graduates are endless, and for 24-year-old Jose Perez, his childhood dream of playing soccer on a professional level took him to Germany within a year after his 2016 WHS graduation.

 Here for a few weeks on a break between seasons and a new contract with his team, FC Eldagsen, Perez described his big childhood imagination as the starting point for his life’s soccer journey.

 “I remember pretending the cherry trees in our front yard were defenders, and I would see myself on a pro soccer field going against them,” he said with a smile.

 Of course, his family fed his growing enthusiasm for the sport early on. His older brother by 10 years, Jaime, was playing soccer on club teams, and by the time he was in high school, Jose and their dad, Jaime Sr., watched all of the practices and games.

 “Watching them as a little kid made me more excited. They inspired me and I learned a lot from them,” Perez said. “I always had a ball with me. I grew up playing on Boise area club teams, and as many as 20 of us here in Weiser would always meet up at Memorial Park and play.”

 He credits his family for instilling the importance of showing respect to other people and players.

 “My mom taught me that respect will get you farther than any other skill,” he said. “My dad said that sometimes players carry too much ego, and if there was trash talking on the field, my response should be to just go score goals.”

 Perez said his favorite professional soccer player growing up was Ronaldinho, a Brazilian soccer star who made his professional debut in 1988, at the age of 18. He was recruited by Barcelona in 2003 and spent his peak years with them as an attacking midfielder and winger. Perez covers left wing and midfield for his team, and received the team’s MVP this past season for most goals scored, and the second most goals scored in the league.

 “While I was in high school, Coach Bowe (von Brethorst) inspired me,” Perez said. “He was my seventh grade basketball coach, always a big fan of mine, and a good friend. I don’t know if he knows that. No matter what I did he would encourage me to do more.”

 Perez is now inspiring Jaime’s son, 15-year-old Santiago, whose family recently moved to the area from Nampa. While Perez is here, the two are working out and training together almost daily at Beyond Barbell Gym. 

 “Santiago’s goal is to score more goals than I did in high school,” he said. “And I would like to see that.”

 Beyond Barbell Gym owner and personal trainer Kevin Bravo, and Oscar Padilla, who trains individuals out of Beyond Barbell under his own brand, Outperformance Training, are both former WHS soccer team mates, and all members of the 2015 3A boys state championship team.

 “I am so thankful for Kevin Bravo,” Perez said. 

 And, while he’s here, he is also maintaining his own conditioning by assisting Padilla’s semi-pro soccer team Colonial FC. The team will host their first game in the UPSL Mountain Division playoffs in Fruitland on Saturday, July 30.

 

When opportunity knocks

 The same day Perez’s 2015 boys high school team won the state championship, Weiser’s girls’ team followed up with their own state title, a first and impressive accomplishment for Weiser High School, and an especially memorable day for both teams.

 Among the girls team members was German exchange student, Lisa Heitsch, who also happened to be dating Perez. Lisa’s dad had watched both games via Idaho Sports.com and had sent the boys’ game video with Perez to a German scout.

 Receiving soccer scholarships to North Idaho College, Perez and Padilla played the 2016 fall season there. Before the end of the semester, Perez was offered another scholarship in a higher soccer division at Culver-Stockton College in Missouri.

 But then came an invitation in December to go to Germany, and he was almost overwhelmed by the choice in front of him.

 “I was a little uncertain and having a hard time deciding, but my dad told me to not miss the opportunity by overthinking it,” he said. “It was good advice.”

 Once in Germany, he immersed himself in learning the German language, spending three to four hours a day over several months. He is now fully fluent in German, as well as in Spanish and English.

 In the country on both sports and education visas, he has just completed the first of three intensive years of study in the field of physical therapy.

 “I finished the first year in the top percent of the class,” he said. 

Perez said Weiser will always be his home.

 “This is where my family is,” he said. “But I also think of Germany as home now, too. It’s a beautiful country, with beautiful old architecture and a long history. My friends and teammates there have become family to me, too.

 “My goal is to play soccer until my body says I can’t,” he added. “Something I keep in mind is that I want to be satisfied with where I am, and not look back and ask, ‘what if?’ It will be important to have that closure.”