Avalos P-TECH School soccer coach Cregg Arrwood visited the East Aldine Management District office to personally thank them.
He brought proof.
The school used every penny of a $10,000 EAMD investment to turn a student’s dream into a real team. The money covered essential equipment and supplies, giving students a place to practice and compete.
Before the grant, Arrwood said, the program had only three off-brand soccer balls, two small pop-up goals, and a tiny water drainage area the students called “the pit.” Without EAMD’s support, Avalos P-TECH’s first soccer season would have looked more like a club than a team. The school likely would have had to forfeit games because it could not pay referees.
Instead, the Phoenix team took the field.
The EAMD investment helped Avalos P-TECH, an Aldine ISD Choice School campus, launch a soccer program that provided students with more than just equipment. It gave them an opportunity, pride, a sense of belonging, and a team identity at a campus that previously offered no team sports.
Avalos P-TECH (Pathways in Technology Early College High) School specializes in five career and technical education pathways: paralegal studies, teaching and training, cybersecurity, computer networking, and inspection technology (nondestructive testing). The campus recently earned the Texas Education Agency’s Designation With Distinction. This award recognizes its work to prepare students for college credit, industry certifications, and other credentials. The school mascot is the phoenix.
But for many students, soccer met a different kind of need.
“This is the first time that a strong majority of these student-athletes have ever been part of a team,” Arrwood said. “The program provided a few hours a week to release from the academic rigor of Avalos.”
The program began in September 2025, when three coaches “bought in” with a shared vision. In the 2025-26 season, about 20 boys and 12 girls in grades 9-12 participated. The school plans to add a girls’ team for the 2026-27 school year. The program is part of the Choice School Intramural Sports League, which included Victory Early College High School and Blanson CTE High School in 2025-26.
EAMD funding covered essentials: agility poles, soccer balls, armbands, scrimmage vests, ball bags, gloves, first-aid kits, a field striping machine, field paint, goals, nets and fasteners, a game ball, water, a wagon, and referee payments.
The goals made the biggest difference, Arrwood said. So did the ability to move from three soccer balls to 25.
That meant every player could have a ball at their feet during certain drills. It meant practices could be intentional. It meant students could work harder, faster, and together.
For Maurice Tastad, the team captain, the difference was immediate.
“At the beginning of the season, we wore plain white shirts with a number written on the back,” Maurice said. “Being able to receive an actual soccer jersey was a complete game-changer. Receiving the uniforms and equipment made everything feel real, and it motivated us to work harder as a team.”
Maurice said he wanted to join the soccer program because he has loved the game since he was little and wanted to represent his school. Because it was the first sports team at Avalos P-TECH, he also wanted to help build something new and become part of the school’s history.
“Being a part of this team means supporting each other on and off the field, and we all work toward the same goals,” Maurice said. “It also means to have pride in representing our school.”
Student-athlete Amberson Argueta said soccer gave him friends, reduced his stress, and helped him stay focused on his grades so he could play.
“My favorite memory of this season is our first game because I felt joy that this soccer team actually happened,” Amberson said.
Asked what the team means to Avalos P-TECH, Amberson said it means a lot “because it’s the first soccer team in Avalos P-TECH School.”
For EAMD, the investment reflects the district’s broader commitment to quality of life, youth opportunity, and community development in East Aldine. As EAMD celebrates its 25th anniversary, the program also reflects the district’s slogan: “Unlimited possibilities.”
“At EAMD, we often talk about quality of life in terms of infrastructure, public safety, parks, and economic development, but quality of life is also a student putting on a real team jersey for the first time and understanding that his community believes in him or her,” said Richard Cantú, EAMD executive director. “As we celebrate 25 years of serving East Aldine, helping create opportunities for young people remains one of the things I am most proud of. This investment helped students move from wanting a team to becoming a team, and that is what ‘unlimited possibilities’ looks like in real life.”
Arrwood said soccer gives students a way to stay active, build character, and understand that working with a team allows them to accomplish more. He has seen growth in his confidence and sense of belonging.
One moment stayed with him: A player he described as one of his toughest — someone who rarely smiled — scored a goal during practice. When the student turned around to run back, Arrwood said, he had the biggest smile on his face.
There were other moments, too: players communicating on the field, working through problems together, and hearing cheerleaders in the background. Even the process of choosing team captains became a lesson in maturity when a senior declined the role and recommended another student he believed was a better fit.
Maurice said soccer has given him confidence, leadership skills, and a sense of responsibility.
“Because of soccer, I learned how to become a better leader, teammate, and student while creating memories I’ll never forget,” he said. “When I step on the field, I feel confident, focused, and proud to represent my school.”
Arrwood said the soccer field also connects back to the classroom. As a math teacher, he sees project-based learning opportunities, such as geometry students helping paint fields. As a coach, he teaches communication, accountability, preparation, and constructive feedback.
“To do well, you have to communicate,” Arrwood said. “Communicating on or off the field has to be taught. It is not something that they should just know.”
The culture he wants to build is one where “the Phoenix is first” — where students spend time together, support each other, and do not leave teammates behind.
Looking ahead, Arrwood hopes to add a girls’ team and compete for the Choice School Cup. He wants to build toward a home soccer field in East Aldine, with stronger field conditions and more family attendance. He envisions student-led marketing and broadcasting, concessions from local vendors, and continued connections to parks, wellness, and community outreach.
“The hopes are endless,” Arrwood said.
For now, the impact is clear: a board agenda item brought to life — real goals on the field, a ball at every player’s feet, a jersey replacing a plain white shirt, a first game, a first team photo, and a player’s smile after a goal.
Or, as Amberson put it: “Because of soccer, I have joy and happiness in my heart.”
