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09/30/2021 12:00 AMJuan Salas-Romer vividly remembers his first memory of watching a professional soccer game on television for the first time. Juan was only six years old when he became immersed in the FIFA World Cup and realized that he loved watching soccer teams from around the world compete.
Now a senior at Guilford High School, Juan has taken his passion for the pitch to a new level as a member of the Grizzlies’ boys’ soccer squad. This fall, Juan is leading the team as a senior captain.
“I’ve been playing since 2010 after watching my first soccer game in that year’s World Cup with my family,” Juan says. “My favorite aspect of the sport is the passion involved in the game. You’re out there with 10 other guys who are all trying their absolute best to win.”
Juan is playing both the center midfielder and right wingback positions for Guilford in the 2021 season. Juan and the Grizzlies are off to a solid start with a record of 5-1 on the year.
“My expectation for this season is to win the SCC. We have the squad to do so, and I know we can do it,” says Juan. “We all want to win, especially against our rivals Hand, and we are willing to work as hard as we can in order to do so.”
Head Coach Curtis Gullette describes Juan as an invaluable part of the Grizzlies’ program. Gullette says that his senior captain is admired by everyone on Guilford’s roster.
“Juan’s love of soccer shows in his commitment and passion that he brings to the team. He puts the team first,” says Gullette. “Juan understands that for the team to succeed, he may have to play in multiple positions and take on multiple roles throughout the season. At times, this may mean playing in positions he may not consider his favorite, but he is up for the task, because he puts the team’s success first.”
Coach Gullette also credits Juan for his extensive knowledge of soccer, along with his ability to make smart decisions on the fly during games.
“Juan’s soccer knowledge is also a key attribute,” Gullette says. “It helps him to identify teammate’s strengths and weaknesses that aid the tactical and strategic decisions the coaches make and he makes on the field.”
Juan’s relationship with Coach Gullette is one that features constant communication between the two. Juan is always going to his coach, so they can talk shop and discusses strategies for Guilford’s upcoming contests.
“As captain, we communicate a lot with each other and both try to do what’s best for the team,” Juan says of Gullette. “He’s a smart coach with a great read for the game, which is why we’ve been successful up to this point in the season, and why we’ve been able to reach two SCC finals in a row under him.”
Guilford squared off against rival Hand in the championship game of the SCC Division B Tournament last season. Although the Grizzlies lost the game, Juan embraced the challenge of taking on former Tigers’ star Scott Testori. Juan says that experience gave him a better understanding of what it takes to succeed at the varsity level.
“My favorite moment as a player would have to be playing in the SCC final last year versus Hand,” says Juan. “I got to go head-to-head with Scott Testori and see what varsity soccer in Connecticut is all about. It was only my third ever varsity game.”
At the beginning of this season, Juan had to deal with a setback when he was diagnosed with mono. Juan has been running every day in order to regain his stamina and is looking to lead Guilford to another successful season in 2021.
“I’ve been doing a lot of running outside of practices, but I think what helps me improve my game the most is taking practice seriously and listening to my teammates,” Juan says. “They’ve helped me be able to improve quickly in short amounts of time as they are able to let me know things that I don’t realize about my own game. That allows me to know what to improve on while practicing.”