With no losses to his name this year, and a hard-working, enthusiastic squad at his hand, Coach Charlie Fuentes couldn’t ask for much more from his new environment at Choate. The new Boys’ Varsity Soccer coach has already established a great level of respect among not only his players, but also his faculty peers and students as well. One player sang his praises: “Coach Fuentes has done an outstanding job coaching the guys, and we’re all looking forward to a great season with him as our head coach.”
Charlie Fuentes was born in Uruguay. He has two siblings, a sister and a brother, both of whom have children of their own. Coach Fuentes moved to the United States at the age of 7, yet the move proved challenging to his soccer career. “Being from Uruguay, everybody plays soccer; it’s one of those things that you’re born and they put a ball in your crib. I always played a little bit, but after moving here to the States, I never played organized soccer. I played when I was 6 and 7 in Uruguay, but then after coming here my parents just didn’t know the language, didn’t have the resources to find out where they could sign me up, so I didn’t actually start playing organized soccer until I was 12.”
Despite these setbacks, Coach Fuentes quickly found himself advancing through the ranks, starting with local teams, moving on to premier level squads, to high school, prep school, and finally to the Trinity College Bantams. Today, many of his players are often gush about how “insanely” or “absurdly” talented Mr. Fuentes is on the soccer field.
Before Choate, Mr. Fuentes coached and taught Spanish for four years at Worcester Academy, in Worcester, Massachusetts, after graduating from Trinity College with a degree in economics and Hispanic studies. After he finished at Worcester, he took some time off and went to graduate school at the University of Connecticut, earning his Master’s Degree in International Studies. Then he reached a crossroad in his life. He said, “After teaching at Worcester Academy for four years, I thought I wanted to get away from teaching for a while, and then I was asked if I wanted to do this graduate program. As the program was winding down, I was looking for work, specifically to do some diversity work at the higher ed. level.” However, things changed for Mr. Fuentes when he received an email from the Worcester Academy coach, saying that there was an opening at Choate. “Even though I wasn’t sure I wanted to get back into teaching, I know what a great school Choate is, and I knew what a great opportunity it would be, and also there was a chance to run my own soccer program, so that was really attractive to me.”
As much as soccer may be a part of Mr. Fuentes’ personality, he aims to benefit the Choate community in ways that transcend the soccer field. Coach Fuentes looks to bring his students and players into situations that are much bigger than what he teaches them in the classroom and on the pitch. He talked about his desire to give more than the basic lessons and skills, saying, “Personally, I think that apart from what can be done on the soccer field, I can bring a connection to a lot in the outside world, with my background being so diverse. I’ve had a lot of training in diversity and ethnic studies and identity issues.” Also, Coach Fuentes wants his students and players to learn more than Spanish and soccer, saying, “I’m really big on respect, and teaching through actions and making sure they’re learning something outside of the soccer field. And in the classroom, if a student comes out of the class with another lesson, like a life lesson, I think that’s much more important than whether or not they can conjugate a verb.” For Coach Fuentes, character trumps all else.
As for the rest of the soccer season, Coach Fuentes will look for great success for his team, saying that if the squad can work together, and make each other accountable for their responsibility on the pitch, then Varsity Soccer will have a memorable season. Leading the team to its first win in many years over Worcester Academy, his former employer, and eagerly tackling his duties as an adviser in Memorial House, Mr. Fuentes has quickly established himself as a positive and impactful force on Choate campus.
