By Ali Abdollahi
Those of us who spent any considerable amount of our childhood playing sports often encountered that one coach who became a mentor.
That person became a permanent part of your life, someone you keep calling “coach” long after you stop playing for them.
For hundreds of local boys, Alberto Montoya is that coach.
Despite amassing more than 800 wins and nine state titles in his 21 years as a coach, Montoya claims he receives more fulfillment from the relationships he has developed with his players and their families.
“It’s the friendships you create that mean the most,” the Mountain View resident said, “families you still go out to dinner with or you’re a part of their lives when they get married or have a baby.”
A recent example of such a lasting relationship was the case of a former player calling him after proposing to his fiancée.
“He called and said, ‘Alberto, I’m engaged and I wanted you to be the first to know,’” Montoya said, “and that kind of stuff really makes you feel good.”
Although his accomplishments aren’t the first thing he talks about, his success has not gone unnoticed. Montoya was honored in July as part of Major League Soccer All-Star Game festivities in San Jose. He was selected 32nd on MLS’ list of the top 50 soccer leaders in Northern California.
“I was really proud,” Montoya said of his selection. “I don’t know who nominated me for this - to be in that kind of company makes me feel great.”
Montoya’s journey to being honored on the field at Spartan Stadium started almost half-a-world away. Montoya was born and raised in Camaguey, Cuba, where baseball is the prevailing national obsession, especially for young boys. But a childhood accident that prevented Montoya from walking for two years kept him off of the diamond.
So, how did someone who couldn’t walk get into soccer?
“My friends would come over and we would play little games of soccer in my backyard, with me sitting on the ground,” Montoya said.
Slowly, but surely, Montoya rehabilitated himself and eventually became one of the finest soccer players in his area.
After starring on his school teams, Montoya was recruited to play in Cuba’s premier soccer league. Since Communist countries do not have pro leagues, the premier league featured Cuba’s top players. Montoya enjoyed a heralded 10-year career, once scoring all four goals in a second-half rally that put his team in the Cuban National Finals.
Montoya left Cuba in 1980, at age 29, after earning a master’s degree in physical education from Cuba’s National Sports Institute. His first job was coaching the Los Altos Soccer Club, of which he is now president.
Montoya has a long list of accomplishments. From his 1993 national title team that featured Joe Cannon, goalie for the San Jose Earthquakes, to the championship he won this summer in Pleasanton, where his Untouchables outscored opponents 18-2 en route to a 6-0 record.
Still, his strongest memories involve his family - like watching his son Albertin qualify for the 1996 Olympic team and be selected as the San Jose Clash’s first-ever draft pick.
And Montoya shows no signs of slowing down. He spoke with passion about the strength of his younger players, making it clear a new generation of soccer players will join in his legacy.
