By Grace Hildebrand and Lara Nowak

Staff Writers

This spring, the Walter Payton Girls Soccer Team is excited to welcome Coach Escobar as their new head coach. Coach Esco brings the enthusiasm, skill, and experience bound to make this year an enjoyable and successful season for the girls soccer team. Esco shares some of his goals and discusses his coaching philosophy for the upcoming season with the Paw Print:

Paw Print: What made you decide to coach girls soccer again this year?

Paul Escobar: “I wanted a new challenge.”

PP: What goals do you have for the upcoming season?

PE: “I’d like to be the City Champs and go down state this year.”

PP: How do you think your coaching style differs from past Payton coaches?

PE: “I don’t know if it differs from past coaches, but I believe in hard work , commitment and playing with all of your heart.”

PP: What are some of your favorite pre-game pump up songs and why?

PE: “I don’t listen to pump up music.  Pre game for me is a time to visualize and get myself focused on the task at hand.”

PP: Give us a brief history: how did you get into playing and coaching soccer?

PE: “My dad played soccer, so naturally it was my first sport. I had some success, so I stuck with it.  I got into coaching through my own high school coach who needed help with his U9 team when I was a Senior.”

PP: What do you think is the most crucial thing to remember in order to succeed as an athlete?

PE: “There may be people that have more talent than you, but there is no excuse for anyone to work harder than you do.”

PP: What athlete or coach do you look up to for inspiration and why?

PE: “Walter Payton:  He proves that hard work, heart, and hustle mixed with talent makes you the greatest.”