Good Sports: Ramon Martin Del Campo, Fresno FC player and Fresno Christian coach

Stephen Hicks Image
Saturday, March 9, 2019
Good Sports: Ramon Martin Del Campo, Fresno FC player and Fresno Christian coach
Ramon's priority is to the Foxes, but logistically, the schedule for Fresno Christian lines up perfectly with the offseason for Fresno FC.

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- There are coaches who make sure their feelings are heard, and then there's first-year soccer coach Ramon Martin Del Campo, who has taken it to another level at Fresno Christian.

After an Eagles goal, there are few more passionate, and after a miss, he's learned how to make it a coachable moment.

"Doing this helps me learn another side of the game, which is like a tactical side. It's sort of like the side my boss is in, and I understand his role a little better. I see the pressure he goes through. Obviously, it's another level there."

Ramon's day job is playing center defensive back for Fresno FC which kicks off their second season of professional soccer on Saturday.

His "boss" is coach Adam Smith, "I understand that we're not paying these guys NFL wages, or NBA wages, or Major League Baseball wages, so they have to try and make ends meet."

Ramon's priority is to the Foxes, but logistically, the schedule for Fresno Christian lines up perfectly with the offseason for Fresno FC.

"A lot of guys leave town," says Ramon. "A lot of guys go with their parents, or their wives, girlfriends. It's like a vacation for them."

Ramon stayed in town and has already left a mark at Fresno Christian. This past season, the Eagles soccer team won their first league title in two decades.

Ramon's time as a coach should help him better relate to his coach this year.

"He enjoys it and he always goes 'Now you see what I go through! Now you see what I go through!'," says Ramon.

"They may be a little bit more understanding when I'm shouting at them from the sidelines," says Smith.