El Capitan High School Soccer t 100 Farmland t Merced, CA 95348 t (209) 385 - 5500

To Whom It May Concern,

I have had the opportunity to coach Juan Valdovino for the past 3 years in soccer. He is one of the most
respectful, reliable, and hardworking student-athletes I have been around as a coach. When Juan moves
on to the next level, I will truly miss having him around. He embodies everything that I hope our
student-athletes become.

Over the course of my time coaching Juan, he has exhibited the ability to make himself better in
numerous ways on and off the field. Off the field, he is an excellent student. Juan has always
maintained his grades while participating in extracurricular activities and athletics. He has also done a
great job of improving himself on the field. He spends countless hours on the field, working at making
himself a better player. He is always willing to take advice from his coaches knowing that we are trying
to make him better. He also puts in the extra time to improve. Juan definitely does what is needed in
order to make him the best he can be.

Juan is also a great athlete because he strives to make the players around him better. Not only does he
make them better players, he makes them feel better when they need to be picked up. Juan is always
the first guy over to a teammate whos having a bad day to pick him up and get him feeling better. Hes
a tremendous leader. Because he is such a leader by example, his teammates highly respect his opinion
and they definitely listen when he speaks. It has been great for me because he is like a coach on the
field. I know that Juan will always focus on doing what is best for the team.

Ive had the pleasure of watching Juan grow into a great young man over the past 3 years and although I
am extremely proud he will be graduating from high school, I am also sad that he will not be around
anymore. If Juan continues to put forth the effort and dedication he has been, I know he will be a
successful young man at whatever he chooses to conquer and that is what really matters to me.

Ray Abarca
Varsity Soccer Coach
El Capitan High School