Schools
Soccer Game Honors Deceased Student
Members of the James Logan High School soccer team, the Union City Fighting Cocks and the Gutierrez family honored Julian Gutierrez, a Logan student who passed away in February
With only a 24-hour notice, dozens gathered at Wednesday night for a special soccer match in honor of a student whose life ended far too soon.
Members of the Logan soccer team helped organize the memorial exhibition for teammate Julian Gutierrez, who passed away in February at the age of 15. The match pitted the against Logan alumni and members of Julian’s family.
"I like how we can do this on a night’s notice and the community still supports," Head Coach James Williams said.
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The exhibition was an engaging affair, featuring many Logan alumni and several current students. It was free of charge and designed to pay homage to a student who always seemed to be happy. It was that quality that people remember the most about Julian.
"He was always smiling and was always down to talk to people if they needed him," Coach Jose Ibarra said.
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"No matter what he was doing or who he was with, he’d come say 'What’s up' and smile," said Logan alumnus Hugo Anzoategui.
Julian was also a skilled and determined soccer player.
"He always had the biggest heart," Coach Rick Garcia said. "He would play with the same passion and heart if it was a scrimmage or a championship game. I loved that about him.”
Wednesday night's event brought comfort to members of Julian's family.
"If he was here, he’d be so excited to play a big game with his family," said Daniela Castro Ulloa, Julian's aunt and a Logan alumnus. "He would’ve been happy that nobody is sad, that his memory is being carried on with happiness and good vibes."
There was a certain stillness and peace in the air during the game.
At halftime, cheerleaders displayed a memorial banner for Julian during a moment of silence, and El Ballet Folklorico de James Logan performed a few traditional Mexican dances for the audience.
It was truly a beautiful evening for a truly wonderful student.
Speaking as a former teammate of his during my stint on the Logan forensics team, I can say that Julian had a certain drive about him. He wouldn’t flaunt it, but it was there. He was definitely a competitor and had an air of maturity that isn’t often found in freshmen. I really liked that about him. And anyone who knew him would rant and rave about his smile because it truly was infectious.
