The Recendez family is doing everything it can to make sure Leyden’s soccer program remains rock solid.
Juan Recendez was on the Eagles’ 2011 team that reached the Class 3A Elite Eight, playing everywhere on the field for three varsity seasons. Juan Recendez Sr. and his wife Rosa also have a son in seventh grade, Jesus, who will doubtlessly find himself wearing Leyden blue-and-gold in a few years.
For the time being, it’s the middle Recendez child who’s carrying the family torch. Senior Alfredo Recendez is in his third season as the Eagles’ starting goalkeeper and he’s happy to be a part of the legacy.
“Me and my older brother started playing at the same time. I was probably 4 years old,” Alfredo Recendez said. “When I was 7, my dad found me a team to play with but he told me if I wanted to play, I had to be a goalie.”
Alfredo Recendez was skeptical about playing in net at first, but by the time he was 10, he loved the position. He was a goalkeeper on Leyden’s freshman team, played on varsity as a sophomore and he’s been there ever since.
Recendez was one of the top keepers around as a junior last year and this year he’s even better.
“It’s kind of hard to believe that he has improved as much as he has from last year to this year, but he has improved every facet of his game,” Leyden coach Mark Valintis said.
Recendez has become more vocal and he’s leaving his goal line more aggressively to cut off attacks. His foot skills have also improved, allowing his defense to play the ball back to him to relieve pressure.
“As a defender you want to be able to play it back to your goalie, so he can clear it or play it out wide,” Leyden defender Cesar Franco said. “I have confidence to head the ball back to him, too, and on a long ball he’s already coming off his line to get it. Those things make it easier on a defense.”
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Goalkeepers typically aren’t overly concerned with their foot skills, and Recendez gives brother Juan credit for keeping him focused on the value of improving that skill.
“We’d go outside to play and he would always get mad at me if I took a bad touch or I didn’t pass it well,” Recendez said. “He pushed me a lot to better my touches and be better on the ball.”
At 5-foot-10, Alfredo Recendez knew that in order to leave his goal line and become a physical presence around the goalmouth, he had to bulk up. Now 190 pounds, Recendez has gained nearly 20 pounds since his sophomore season.
And he didn’t do it by frequenting McDonald’s.
“He has probably hit the weight room harder in the last couple of years than anybody I’ve ever coached. He’s a fierce worker,” Valintis said. “And now he’s an intimidating force when you look at him.”
Recendez’s hard work has paid off, as assorted colleges are taking an interest in his services. But for now he’s busy preparing to help Leyden make some postseason noise.
Leyden returned most of its lineup from the team that won a Class 3A regional last season. The Eagles (10-5-2) defeated Willowbrook 4-2 on Saturday, Oct. 10, and are poised to make another strong postseason run. They drew the No. 6 seed in the 3A Glenbrook North Sectional and play Prospect in a Leyden Regional semifinal on Oct. 20.
When it’s over, Valintis will have to wait two more seasons before the Recendez family provides his program with their final soccer player. That’s when Jesus Recendez will be a high school freshman.
Until then, Alfredo Recendez will do what he can to get his younger brother ready.
“My older brother pushed me and I saw how good he was,” Alfredo Recendez said. “I try to do the same with my little brother. He might get mad that I’m on him when he makes a mistake during a game, but that’s how I got better. I want to give him that in return.”
Gary Larsen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.