Father-son or coach-player, FA’s Ayalas always a team

By Ernie Clark
BDN Staff

DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — When Antonio Ayala arrived for the start of preseason workouts with the Foxcroft Academy boys’ soccer team several weeks ago, he was greeted by a familiar face.

Dad.

 While it’s not uncommon for fathers to coach their sons, the sporting relationship between Luis Ayala and his son, better known around school as Tino, has sustained an unusually long shelf life.

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UP THE FIELD — Antonio Ayala of Foxcroft Academy looks to push the ball up the field during a soccer match.

The two have been together on the soccer pitch every year without exception since Tino first entered school, through youth leagues and middle school and now entering his senior year of high school.

“I was coaching the high school team at that time, too,” said Luis Ayala of his son’s early soccer years. “Tino would come to every practice and watch the bigger guys play. He was the water boy, he’d chase down balls in the woods or count push-ups. He’d blow the whistle on running drills.

“He was always around, and the older kids really liked Tino so they would show him moves.”

A similar scenario has played out each winter with the Ayalas collaborating on the wrestling mat on highly successful youth, middle school and high school teams.

“My parents have found the balance between being my friend and being my parents and also in his case being a coach,” said Tino. “The way it’s worked out we’ve always been together for everything, but it’s not like we were forced into it. At home I have a good relationship with my mom (Angela) and my dad so it’s been easy to have him a part of my life and coaching me all these years.”

The duo not only has survived the ever presence in each other’s sporting life, but thrived in and out of the arena.

The Foxcroft soccer team, which opened its season with a 2-1 victory at John Bapst of Bangor on Saturday, is seeking its third straight Class B North postseason appearance — not bad at a school known in the fall for its football and field hockey programs.

The younger Ayala has ranked as one of the region’s top assist makers over the last two years and last year was named to the All-Penobscot Valley Conference first team as well as to the All-Eastern Maine Class B squad.

The Foxcroft wrestling team is a perennial contender for state championship honors, most recently winning the 2013 Class C crown — with Tino Ayala winning an individual state title as a freshman.

The Ponies placed third at last year’s Class B state meet, with Ayala placing second in his weight class while improving his career record to 125-11.

The younger Ayala also is a two-year captain in both sports, a reflection of his status among his teammates.

“I’ve seen those teams where the coach’s kid might not have been one of the better players or one of the better wrestlers yet they’re starting just because dad feels he should be there and is kind of favoring him,” said Tino. “I don’t think I’ve ever had that situation, but I’ve always pushed myself to make sure there’s no doubt that I should be there.”

That self-motivation also has led Tino Ayala to play club soccer during the offseason with BlackBear United, Seacoast United and most recently the Rockport-based DSA United.

No matter the destination, his father has been a constant travel mate.

“Those long trips we’ve taken to soccer tournaments and wrestling tournaments, getting up really early in the morning and driving two or three hours to Portland and to out-of-state tournaments, I think those are the moments I cherish the most,” said Luis. “When we’re traveling like that he’s not there on the iPhone or texting all the time. We’re talking, and that’s been really important to me.”

They’ve also used that time to learn and share ideas about their chosen sports that they inevitably use during the high school seasons.

“We’re constantly learning either through my club sports or from clinics we go to,” said Tino. “Dad’s always there writing notes so when he demonstrates something or goes over a certain play during practice I already know what he’s talking about so I try to help him when I can.”

That occasionally leaves Tino Ayala as a bit of a teaching tool when his father wants to make a point during practice.

“I think I can take criticism well,” said Tino. “You see some kids who take it hard, but I know it’s constructive.”

The competitive arena occasionally makes for extreme emotions, but the Ayalas’ staying power has stemmed from their ability to separate work from play and not dwell on any disagreement.

“If we’re at practice and things get heated or something needs to be done or said he understands where I’m coming from as a coach and not to take things personal,” said Luis. “We may talk about it sometimes at home, but we really try not to take those things home and keep that aspect of coach and dad at practices and keep it just dad and son at home.”

During the infrequent occasion when a disagreement isn’t quickly solved with a bit of time, space or words, the Ayalas’ garage serves a venting purpose.

“Our garage isn’t really a garage, it’s a wrestling room,” said Luis. “The mats are laid down all the time and there are mats on the walls along with T-shirts from all the tournaments we’ve been to.

“Now and then we’ll get on the mats, we’ll go at it once in a while. We enjoy it but we definitely will push each other, but whatever happens there stays on the mat and once it’s over we hug and become friends again.”

Tino Ayala, also the senior class vice president, a National Honor Society member and Student Council vice president at Foxcroft, hopes to continue his soccer career collegiately next year while he follows his mother’s career path by studying physical therapy.

“I have a very good support system at home,” he said. “My parents are always encouraging me, they want the best for me, and it goes a long way when your parents want it as much as you do.”

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FATHER & SON — Foxcroft Academy boys soccer and wrestling coach Luis Ayala (left) and his son, Antonio.

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PERENNIAL CONTENDER — Foxcroft Academy’s Antonio Ayala (left) competes in a high school match.