Monte Vista adopting team philosophy

There are several reasons that the Monte Vista High boys soccer team is the No. 1 ranked team in Northern California and No. 4 ranked team in the FAB 50. Skill is certainly one of them, as they are obviously talented. Tactics are another, as the Mustangs play an open, entertaining, and fun brand of soccer. But the most important reason is an attribute that cannot be measured because it is not tangible. That attribute is family. Monte Vista refuses to promote any players over the other. It literally chooses three new captains before each game. When the team scores a goal, the entire roster runs to the corner flag. They celebrate as a team and be sure to do it as out of sight as they can in order to not seem boastful and to keep it an intimate, team affair. "This is all about team and family," Monte Vista coach Beau Fisher said. "I want to create an environment of fun, of enjoyment, and of family. I really want to breed an environment of support." One way that Fisher does that is that he does not stick players in one position and leave them there. He allows players to be all over the pitch. A kid can play central defender one game and might play striker the next because Fisher is not only trying to allow them to be well-rounded players, but also he is trying to help the team succeed. "The goal is to create soccer players, and not to stick them in one position for all their lives," Fisher said. "I put players in the best position for that game, and change personnel to exploit a weakness on the other side. Also, they get to play different positions so that they have fun." Fisher also works very hard to get the players noticed by college coaches, pounding the pavement and beating the drum for any kid who wants to play college. This creates an environment where they will want to play for their high school and don't feel like they have to lose out on the experience to play for an Academy to get noticed by recruiters, scouts, and coaches. The Mustangs entered the week of January 10 with a perfect mark of 9-0-0, outscoring their opponents 34-8 on the season. This is even more impressive when you consider that they graduated 13 players, including 10 of 11 starters, from last year's team. Monte Vista will have its hands full this week, facing two bitter geographical rivals, including a California team on Tuesday, Jan. 11 that is 7-2-3 with a win over De La Salle, and then a Thursday, Jan. 13 battle with crosstown rival San Ramon Valley, who is always one of the top teams in the East Bay Athletic League and in the North Coast Section.