Rodriguez New Boys Soccer Coach at Natick High

Christian Rodriguez, Natick High’s new boys varsity soccer coach, is no stranger to the school or the sport.
The 43-year-old Rodriguez is a native of Natick and a Natick High alum, graduating in 1991. He also was a two-time Bay State Conference all-star during his three years as a starter at forward for the Redhawks, and he played briefly at Boston College on a partial scholarship.
As Natick High’s school resource officer for the last two years, he’s also a recognizable face. Hired on June 8, Rodriguez wasted no time in scheduling a meeting with returning varsity players, jayvees, freshmen, and those interested in trying out. That session occurred on June 19, 11 days after his hiring.
“I got to know the captains and some of the other players,’’ Rodriguez said. “Jayvee coach Izor Ford was on hand, too. I could tell the boys have passion for both the sport and for winning. They’re excited and eager to elevate Natick’s program, and they have high expectations.’’
When Rodriguez was hired, former coach Curtis Millen immediately gave him a rundown on several of Natick’s returnees. Millen stepped down because he accepted a new job in California.
Rodriguez was impressed with Natick’s senior captains — Owen Chase (defense) and Al and Dillon Arno, brothers who will play either midfield or forward. “They’ve got passion for soccer, they’re leaders and role models,’’ he emphasized. “I also got to know seniors Jason Chow (midfielder) and Jake Reisner (fullback). Jason has good ball-handling skills and Jake is a stalwart on defense.’’
Rodriguez wasn’t able to comment further on his personnel because Local Town Pages deadline arrived before pre-season practice got underway. However, the new coach is acutely aware that the Redhawks, who qualified for tourney play last year, have talent and are solid on defense and at midfield. “What we’ll have to address is our offensive attack,’’ he said. “We’ll need to develop more offense.’’
Rodriguez’ coaching style will feature some emphasis on fundamentals but he knows that many of his players learn the basic elements of the sport at the club level. “I’ll drill the kids on basics but my primary job will be to empower them with positive reinforcement,’’ he said. “I’ll stress hard work and team chemistry. We’ll win and lose as a team. Putting kids in the right positions is a key part of the job, and being able to assess weaknesses and strengthen them as soon as possible are so important in coaching.’’
Rodriguez played freshman soccer at Xaverian but transferred to Natick as a sophomore. He played on three tourney-bound teams and became a BSC all-star as a junior and senior. “My best game in high school was against Needham as a sophomore,’’ he recalled. “We went to a shootout after overtime. I scored, keeping us alive, and we eventually won. The University of Maine and Boston College were the schools that recruited me and I chose BC. I played on the varsity as a freshman but left the team after a year to focus on academics. It was a difficult decision but a good one.’’
An education and counseling major at BC, Rodriguez graduated in 1995 and later worked on two masters degrees — one in counseling from Suffolk and the other in criminal justice from Curry College.
Hired as a counselor at Glastonbury (Conn.) High School, Rodriguez later moved to Miami where he became a police officer. Three years later, he returned to Natick in 2003, worked as a police officer, and eventually became a detective and school resource officer.
“The only coaching experience I had before taking the Natick post was directing the freshman girls soccer team at Glastonbury,’’ he said.
Rodriguez, nevertheless, knows the game and what it takes to be successful. “The attributes I look for are athleticism, foot skills, endurance and a high soccer IQ,’’ he noted. “I also want players who are good kids and supportive of one another.’’
Having played in the BSC, Rodriguez knows the circuit’s strength and the challenges that await. “The conference has formidable squads,’’ he emphasized. “Needham is always tough and Wellesley is talented. Other top teams are Walpole, Braintree, Weymouth, and Framingham.’’
Rodriguez’s coaching philosophy will focus on a combination of being competitive, striving to win, seeing his players reach their potential and ensuring that they enjoy their athletic experience.
“If players are improving and reaching their potential, it’s likely that they’ll experience winning,’’ he said. “My players know that I grew up in the same town as them, played for the same high school team and played in college. I’ll stress life lessons and emphasize that good choices lead to good consequences.’’
Natick will open its season at Milton at 7 p.m. on Sept. 5.
Rodriguez’s goal for that contest will be the same for every other opponent. “We want to improve daily as a team and focus on the task at hand,’’ he said.