For Monterey Wildcats boys soccer head coach Eneblio Perez, this season is not just about wins and losses. It is about building something that never existed before.
As the head coach of Monterey’s first high school boys soccer team, Perez said he is still settling into the role, but already feels a deep sense of pride in what his players are accomplishing.
“I’m feeling proud of them pretty much from this season because we haven’t been playing bad lately.” Perez said. “We’re just doing good and we keep doing that or going for, fighting for it next year also.”
The Wildcats have been competitive early in the 2026 season, earning a district win and hovering around .500 in the opening stretch. The program went 4-7-1 overall last year in its inaugural season.
Perez said the growth goes beyond the scoreboard. Monterey had previously only offered boys soccer at the middle school level, making the jump to a full high school program a major moment for the community. Perez said with that came a mix of emotions.
“We’ve been doing good and I’m happy for the boys,” Perez said. “Hopefully, we can see some improvements for them also.”
Perez said he understands that feeling well. Soccer has been part of his life since he was eight years old, and his path into coaching started locally through the Monterey YMCA. Perez said for him, coaching is about more than teaching the game. Coaching is also about building relationships.
“My favorite part is get to know the players, interact with them, become friends with them, and I guess just, that just makes me want to learn something more about them.” Perez said. “And I have kids also, so I mean, I try to enjoy being with them and being with my kids cause I think we still have to kind of, have to interact with them, get to know them better, and make them feel like you’re their friend also.”
And as the Wildcats continue to grow, Perez said he has not lost sight of how much this opportunity means, not just for him, but for the entire community.
“I would like to thank everybody, especially Monterey High School, for making this happen,” Perez said. “[It’s] something we always wanted.” Perez said.
