LYNN — Tech boys soccer senior Geo Ramirez received an opportunity all aspiring pro soccer players hope for two weeks ago when he was invited to train with the New England Revolution u-19 team at Gillette’s Empower Field House. The doors were opened for Ramirez through Tech coach Eric Moreno, Sr.’s friendship with Revolution Academy coach and scout Fernando Valencia.
When the u-19 team got a hold of Ramirez’s highlight tapes, the team liked what it saw and offered him an invitation to train.
“They saw my videos. They needed a forward and they called me to go practice with the u-19 team,” Ramirez, a striker/forward, said. “I was happy. It was a pleasure for me to be there and go to practice with them, everything. It was a great experience for me.
“Coach Moreno helped a lot,” Ramirez added. “Usually they watch the video, they show up to one of your games and then they decide if they want to invite you or not. In my case, Coach Moreno has a lot of connections so I skipped a lot of steps.”
An 18-year-old from Guatemala, Ramirez said it didn’t take long for him to notice the differences at the next level.
“It was a hard training,” Ramirez said. “High school soccer and that kind of soccer are a lot different. It was hard but I was able to keep up with it. It was hard but nothing’s easy in life. You have to work hard for it.”
The u-19 team came away pleased with Ramirez’s performance at the practice. Ramirez said he was told he’d be invited to train again after the conclusion of his high school season with the Tigers.
“It was a pleasure for me to go out there and meet the players and coaches,” Ramirez said. “It was a great experience for me. Hopefully I get to play for them in the future. I’m grateful for this opportunity.”
The Tigers qualified for the Division 4 North state tournament, which begins this weekend. Tech drew the No. 8 seed in the bracket and hosts No. 9 Manchester Saturday afternoon (3) at Manning Field.
Ramirez had a stellar senior season, scoring 22 goals and dishing seven assists. He feels confident the Tigers are primed for a solid run in the state tournament.
“We won our last game of the regular season,” Ramirez, a four-year varsity player, said. “We were hoping that win would put us in a position where we could get a home game. I’m proud of how we did this season. Playing for Lynn Tech was a great resource for me to showcase my talent. I also showed my leadership as a team captain. We’re working hard and preparing for states. I’m excited for it.
“We showed that we have a good team when we beat St. Mary’s in the City Tournament,” Ramirez added. “That’s one of only two games St. Mary’s lost (this season). That was a big win for us. I trust my team and I’m pretty sure we can win states.”
