Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Las Vegas Lights introduce first coach, the experienced and bilingual Chelis

Sam Morris/Las Vegas News Bureau

Las Vegas Lights soccer team coach Jose Luis Sanchez Sola, more commonly known as “Chelis,” answers a question during his introduction Tuesday, November 14, 2017, at the Inspire theater in Las Vegas.

"Chelis" Is Las Vegas Lights Coach

Las Vegas Lights soccer team coach Jose Luis Sanchez Sola, more commonly known as Launch slideshow »

Not long after the new Las Vegas Lights FC coach walked onstage inside a small, packed downtown theater — where he was officially presented to the local football aficionados — a woman exclaimed in Spanish, “I love you ‘Chelis’!”

The man she saluted Tuesday afternoon was Jose Luis Sanchez Sola, a proven coach in Major League Soccer and in the two top-tier leagues in Mexico, where he was also a TV commentator on the popular ESPN Deportes program "Futbol Picante."

It’s not only Sola's offensive-minded system and entertaining style of play that made the Mexican the leading candidate from a pool of more than 20 coaches interviewed, team owner and CEO Brett Lashbrook said. In Sola, Lashbrook found a leader who represents the diversity of Las Vegas, which is about 30 percent Hispanic.

Thus he searched for a coach who not only subscribed to his style of wanting to "push the envelope" and play in a more enticing fashion, but someone who is also English-Spanish bilingual, something he said professional American soccer has lacked.

During the presentation at Inspire Theatre, a staffer translated between Spanish and English. The team's social media strategy includes sharing bilingual posts.

Speaking in broken English, a language he promised he would learn better in the coming months, Sola said he is grateful for soccer, the opportunity to coach here, and this country.

Fans who attended the presentation applauded, took photos and at one point began a "Chelis" chant, which the coach joined. Team T-shirts were handed out to those in attendance.

Sola said he wants to immerse himself in the community and, to do just that, announced an impromptu meet-and-greet later that night at Gold Spike. It's also important that the first player contract is signed by a local star, Sola said, noting that the team will host tryouts next month.

"I can no longer change who I am, but I can improve," he said about his style of coaching and his carefree and comedic personality, which includes peppering Spanish curse words into his lexicon.

His only other promise was to the fans who will be attending or watching Lights FC games. "In a conflict-filled world, where all of us have problems with work, family or a lot of other problems, I promise that when you come to the stadium, turn on your TVs or computers and watch a game, you're going to forget about your problems," Sola said. "Now, when the game is over, the problem will still be there," he added jokingly.