Player uses speed to help Gators soccer team

Richard Brian

Green Valley High varsity soccer player Rodrigo Medina controls the ball during a recent game against Southeast Career and Technical Academy.

By Brent Hinckley (contact)

Thursday, Oct. 2, 2008 | midnight

Green Valley soccer coach Roy Snyder said having senior Rodrigo Medina, who is arguably the fastest soccer player in the Las Vegas Valley, on his team has a big benefit.

"Speed kills," Snyder said.

Through the season's first seven games, Medina's scored three goals and has one assist.

"He can create scores in so many ways," Snyder said. "He can take off and dribble with the ball and not lose a step or he can distribute the ball just as easily."

Coaches have clocked Medina at 4.36 seconds in the 40-yard dash and he was the lead runner on Green Valley's 800 meter relay track team that won a state title last season in 1 minute, 28.71 seconds.

"Even with the ball at his feet, he's still that fast," Green Valley assistant coach Joel Parks said. "He gets a lot of opportunities because of his speed."

One of those opportunities came in the Gators game against Coronado on Sept. 11. The match was scoreless, and with the game down to its final minutes, Medina found himself in possession of the ball.

"We had got off to a bad start, then at the end of the game I had an opportunity, so I got down the field and scored. It was awesome," he said.

The Gators are 6-0-1 through Sept. 26, the one tie coming in a scoreless match against Southeast Career and Technical Academy on Sept. 17.

"I think this is our year. We have a really strong team. We have a couple strong players in each position so we can make subs and there's no drop-off," Medina said.

With the taste of one state championship, he's eager for another — this time in soccer, his favorite sport.

"I should get another one in track, but I really want to get it for soccer, because it's my main sport," Medina said. "Winning state just motivates you so much."

Medina's family moved to Las Vegas from Bullhead City, Ariz., in 2003 and his older brother, Raul, joined the Gators program, and quickly became one of their leading scorers.

"Raul told us he had a younger brother coming up who was even better than him, and we didn't believe him," Snyder said.

Raul Medina graduated before his brother joined the program, but Rodrigo Medina said his brother has been his inspiration.

"He's the one who taught me how to play soccer," Rodrigo Medina said. "He shaped my skills and really motivated me."

Now, he's just hoping those will pay off in the form of a state championship.

Brent Hinckley can be reached at 990-2687 or brent.hinckley@hbcpub.com.