Dear family and friends,

My name is Ernesto Hernandez and I am in my 10th year of teaching high school history at Overfelt HS in East San Jose. In addition to teaching, I have a unique love for soccer and merged my passions this summer through coaching (volunteer) an under 10 soccer team in the garlic capital, Gilroy, CA.

Our team, RS Gavilanes, has been working extremely hard since the summer to improve their game through multiple practices a week. We have participated in a summer league, the fall Nor-Cal competitive league (silver division), and two tournaments. All of our boys have improved their technical and tactical understanding of the game. Team sports are not only about athletics, they are also about building confidence, leadership, collaboration, communication, and perseverance. Our boys are embracing these qualities and we hope to continue their growth into next season. However, competitive soccer is inaccessible to lower income families. The fees to keep up a competitive team are extravagant and we need your help to keep this diverse group of boys thriving!

RS Gavilanes has launched this campaign to help cover a practice field with lights, season registrations, league fees, tournaments, and general equipment. These collective needs add up to $10,000. While I cannot cover these expenses alone, I understand the value of community support. As a teacher and coach, I focus on building an authentic learning experience where students and athletes can be at their best with the resources available and simply aim to expand resources for our team. Soccer is a beautiful sport that should be open to all regardless of socio economic status including low income hardworking families. Every contribution, big or small, will move us closer to our dream of keeping RS Gavilanes alive and competitive soccer accessible to our Gilroy community.

Thank you for any support!