Friends, family, current and former students gather at Eldorado High School during a ceremony to name the soccer field after longtime coach Gerald Pentsil, Wed. Aug 16, 2023. Pentsil lead Eldorado to win the state title in 2013 and retired in 2016 after 28 years of coaching the program.
Friday, Aug. 18, 2023 | 2 a.m.
Coach Gerald Pentsil arrived at Eldorado High School on this weekend day in 1997 to find eight children joyfully playing on the soccer field. They had jumped the fence to access the pitch, where the nets were left on the goals.
Pentsil popped out of his Ford Explorer, opened the gate and approached the kids.
They were startled, and rightfully so because of Pentsil’s intimidating appearance, Luis Pantaleon recalled Wednesday night at a ceremony to name the Eldorado field, Gerald Pentsil Field.
“This big man was staring at us,” Pantaleon told a crowd of supporters. “He came up to us and said, ‘My name is Coach Pentsil, it’s pretty hot out here. Do you want some water?’ ”
Pentsil returned a few minutes later with ice water in a jug, instructing the children to close the gate when they were finished playing.
That was the start of a relationship that is still strong nearly 30 years later. It’s a similar sentiment for many of the others who returned to the east Las Vegas campus Wednesday to celebrate the man they say was more than a championship-winning coach.
Four of the Pantaleon siblings wound up playing for Pentsil at Eldorado, where in 28 years coaching the boys and girls programs he posted a 532-198-116 record. They won six divisional championships, three regional titles and one state championship.
When officials removed a gold sheet to unveil the scoreboard bearing Pentsil’s name, it showed a score of 2-0 in favor of Eldorado. The time, 20:13. The Sundevils beat Palo Verde 2-0 in 2013 for the state title.
“You can tell what this man built because of all the friends we have and how happy we are to see each other again,” said David Ostler, the current Eldorado coach and one of Pentsil’s former players.
Ostler’s wife, Rami, also played for Pentsil. The coach has been front and center in so many of the family’s life moments that they named one of their children Eli Gerald.
For the Pantaleon siblings, the tie to Pentsil is more official.
When it came time to apply for United States citizenship, immigration officials told them there was a hiccup in the process and they needed a sponsor to vouch for them, Pantaleon said.
That’s when Pentsil stepped up and sponsored all of the siblings.
“He didn’t know what he was getting himself into,” Pantaleon jokingly told the crowd, pausing to maintain his composure.
The event was attended by former players, coaching colleagues, those in the soccer community and even a representative from the Clark County Commission.
Pentsil, who is retired and resides in Virginia, had tears in his eyes as his friends spoke about his kindness. His friends said he never wanted to be the center of attention.
Rather, it was all about making his east Las Vegas community a better place and giving children an opportunity to thrive. All of those memories were front and center during the emotional ceremony.
“Thank you guys, in whichever way you blessed me, in whichever way you blessed Eldorado High School and whichever way you blessed Eldorado soccer,” he told the crowd.
He then looked up at the scoreboard, put his hands over his face to hide the tears, and gave Ostler a long hug.
“God bless Eldorado soccer,” he concluded.
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