Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Gorman soccer coach continues path built by father

Nick Arbelaez

Richard Brian

Bishop Gorman soccer coach Nick Arbelaez instructs his team during a practice at the Kellogg-Zaher Soccer Complex.

Click to enlarge photo

Bishop Gorman soccer coach Nick Arbelaez poses outside of the Kellogg-Zaher Soccer Complex.

It's not easy to replace a legend, but Nick Arbelaez has done pretty well with it so far.

It's almost been three full seasons since Arbelaez took over the Bishop Gorman soccer program for his father, Victor Arbelaez, who was ailing from throat and jaw cancer at the time and has since passed away.

In 22 years coaching both the boys and girls soccer teams at Gorman, the elder Arbelaez amassed a 371-36-6 record with 12 state championships, six with each squad.

But he never won three consecutive state titles.

That's a feat his son is on the verge of accomplishing at age 28. The Gorman boys captured a championship in each of Nick Arbelaez's first two seasons and will vie for a third when it plays in the state semifinals Nov. 14 at Bettye Wilson Soccer Complex.

"It would be an honor to do that considering I've taken over his program and accomplished something he didn't," Arbelaez said. "I always attribute any kind of achievement or success to him because he laid the foundation."

Arbelaez competed for his father at Gorman from 1994 to '98, but never won a championship as a player. He played one year of junior college soccer in Kansas followed by three years at San Francisco State.

After college, Arbelaez immediately began following in his father's footsteps as a coach as he took a job as an assistant at Mt. San Antonio College and head coach at a high school in Los Angeles for nearly three years.

But when his father began a second battle with cancer and radiation treatments in 2006, he asked his son to return to Las Vegas and coach the Gaels.

"I was 25 when I took over the team and didn't know how the players were going to receive me," Arbelaez said. "But they showed me the same respect they showed my dad. There is no better place to come than your alma mater and take over for a man who's built integrity and solidified this program as a powerhouse year in and year out."

The Gaels won state in 2006 by defeating Silverado 3-2 in the championship with a weakened Victor Arbelaez in attendance. Last season, Victor Arbeleaz's condition began to improve and he became a regular at practices and games.

But midway through the season, he collapsed during a practice at Kellogg-Zaher Soccer Complex and passed away minutes later.

"He knew it was his time," Nick Arbelaez said. "He said, 'I love you and your brother and sister.' He passed by the time they got to the hospital. But ultimately, he died where he wanted to — on the soccer field. He wasn't suffering."

Instead of falling apart, the Gaels used the death as a rallying cry, marching through the postseason again en route to a 1-0 title game win against Northern Nevada's Douglas High. The win gave Nick Arbeleaz a record of 35-2-3 in his first two years, rivaling any consecutive seasons his father put together.

"He picked up where his dad left off," said Larry Gray, an assistant coach at Gorman the last eight seasons. "Victor was a very good teacher and Nick has done the same. He's young himself so he has a lot of energy and the team gets a lot of positive direction from him."

Jackie Arbelaez, Nick's sister who played for her father at Gorman from 1997 to 2001, said Nick reminds her of their father on a regular basis.

"When I see him coach, they have similar gestures, similar ways of speaking and similar coaching styles," Jackie Arbelaez said. "The fact he looks like my dad is almost scary. My father knew he was handing his program over to somebody that could run it as good as he could if not better."

Cody Barnett, one of four seniors on the team to have played for both Victor and Nick Arbeleaz, said winning a third ring would be historic for the program and its coach.

"I've played for Nick three years now and it's been the best time of my life," Barnett said. "He's a great coach and he has us well trained. "

Christopher Drexel can be reached at 990-8929 or [email protected].

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