Diablo Valley Wolves born from a common goal

For years, Diablo Football Club and Heritage Soccer Club battled for the same players. With the two clubs being neighbors, DFC based in Concord and HSC based in Pleasant Hill, it led to more animosity than it did a working environment. The two clubs had talks of merging in the past, but egos could not be checked and interests seemed to be more of the self-serving kind. However, there was a groundwork laid for the idea when Jon Scoles, then the Director of HSC, reached out to Zach Sullivan, the director at DFC. "It had been in the works for a while so I can't take credit for it," Scoles, who is now the Director for the newly formed Diablo Valley Wolves, said. "But I reached out to Zach in 2018 when I took over Heritage and we decided instead of stealing resources from one another, we should work together." Lo and behold, working together has had huge, positive implications. Diablo Valley is now boasting some of the most talented clubs in the state of California, teams playing at the MLS Next and NPL levels. "It helped us get access to the MLS League," Scoles said. "Overall we have stronger teams and we are able to put kids at the appropriate level for their development. We are now in a position where we have more options to place them and give them an opportunity to develop." And boy, how that has worked out. DVW currently have two boys teams playing in the exclusive MLS Next league. This is beneficial to the DVW, and all clubs, because this is a pathway to a professional academy for some kids who might not have been ready, or perhaps were overlooked, in the past. The three top players from the DVW 2007 boys team wound up with the San Jose Earthquakes Academy in 2019. The 2009 MLS Next team for DVW is currently in third place, with their only loss being to the Sacramento Republic Academy team. That team is coached by Director of Coaching Richard Wiseman, a former New England Revolution player, and is led by two outstanding players in Antonio Eakin and Cody Norris. Eakin is a keeper who is terrific at organizing his back line and is a good shot stopper while Norris, a center back and center mid, is the backbone in the middle of the field, playing where he is needed and uses his speed and his great communication to be a team leader. The 2003 MLS Next team is also holding its own. After playing in the Summer NPL Showcase and beating San Juan, who was then considered the top team in the state, the team is .500 in the MLS League and riding high after a recent 3-2 come from behind win against LaMorinda SC. Tyler Tipton, a Sonora High grad, scored twice in that game and he can play up top or as an attacking midfielder, and is the team's leading scorer. Augustin Duenas, a keeper who attends Ygnacio Valley High, is a Division I prospect according to Scoles, and is a good shot blocker, good with his feet and a good leader. DVW also has two outstanding girls teams, both playing in the NPL with the 2005 team playing in NPL1 and the 2007 girls team playing in NPL2. The 2005 team is looking at qualifying for the ECNL Regional league, having gotten off to a good start in their bracket. This team also reached the finals of their division at the Surf Cup and are lead by two superb midfielders in Jackie Tamayo and Lily De La Torre. Tamayo attends Concord High and is a central midfielder who is very aggressive, skilled and a playmaker. She's gritty and not afraid to get stuck in on a challenge. De La Torre compliments her in the central midfield, also offering aggressiveness, speed and smarts. The 2007 team is going through a good run of form having won the Davis Legacy Showcase. "This team is not the most talented team," Scoles said. "But they are playing above their talent level with teamwork, a great attitude and a fantastic work rate." This team is led by Tatiana Diaz and Melanie Dominguez. Diaz is a midfielder from Clayton Valley High and is one of the most technically talented girls in the program. Dominguez, a forward/central mid from Antioch High is a quality player who has shown the ability to get behind the defense, to create and to finish. The players are having success and that is because the coaches who came over and who have been brought in since the merger are bought in and helping the players be successful, and having that buy-in is key. "It is important to have a growth mentality at a club," Scoles said. "We have to grow as coaches, and we now have a greater amount of perspectives and experiences and this is helping all of our coaches get better."