Jesse Blais knows what he’s getting into and he couldn’t be more excited about it.
Last week, the former Park City High School soccer star was named head coach of the Miners boys’ soccer program he grew up playing for, filling the position left by the resignation of former head coach Caro Caro.
The 27-year-old Blais graduated from PCHS in 2002 and comes from a long line of Miner soccer talent. His younger brother Austin graduated in 2006, the year the Miners went 17-2 and won the 3A state title.
That’s where Jesse Blais wants his program to get back to, raising state title trophies.
“I’m more of a big-picture coach,” he said. “I’m helping these guys to not only win a state championship, but to also perhaps move on to a higher level of soccer, to give them a chance to move on, more so than the past.”
Blais was the head coach of the Park City junior varsity squad the last three years under Caro and was head coach of the freshman/sophomore team before that.
Blais said he and Caro are similar in the way they think the game should be played.
“Our strategy and cooperation was amazing,” he said. “We worked really well together. I’m definitely going to take on his philosophies into the next year.
“He’s a very technical coach. I’m a little bit more get-in-the-gym-and-work-out kind of guy, because that’s where the college game is. We’ll also possess the ball very well this year, I believe.”
Blais inherits a team that went 11-5-1 last in 2011, but will be without leading scorer Anthony Alcox (16 goals) along with Bryan Park (five goals) and Eric Laufer (four goals), as well as defenders Sam Williams, Mitch Von Puttkamer, who were among the seniors who graduated in May.
But that doesn’t bother Blais, who said he’s ready to get to work with the likes of Garrett Bullough, Michael Capone, Keenan McCall, Alejandro Viera, Matt Stevens and Joey Goodwin and other returning players this offseason. He said being such a young head coach has its advantages and disadvantages.
“Obviously they’ll think they can get away with a little bit more,” he said, laughing. “But in terms of relating and believing in one another and knowing what I’m talking about, it’s definitely a positive.”
And what about the difficulty of leading an alma mater?
“There’s always the level of pressure. If there wasn’t, I don’t think success would follow,” Blais said.
Coming into the fold late, Blais is working on his 2012 preseason schedule. He said it’s difficult because many coaches have already ironed out their preseason, but he is working out the kinks.
“I’ve already reached out to a few 4A and 5A schools,” he said. “But as for now, we will definitely go down to Desert Hills, play Rowland Hall and possibly a 4A team.”
Blais added that he’s excited for the toughened Region 10.
“I was really thrilled that the region went back to where it was,” he said. “The more that these guys can play better teams and prepare for playoffs, the more successful we’ll be.”
After playing at Chapman University in Orange County, Calif., Blais took a couple years off before returning to Utah in 2006 where he enrolled at Westminster College and was a captain of the Griffins men’s soccer team last season.
Helping his players get to that level, if realistic, is a large goal for Blais.
“I believe that high school soccer, especially in Utah, doesn’t prepare those guys for the level of play when you go to college,” he said, “whether it’s physically fit, or ready to bump around with younger guys, or speed, or endurance.
“I found myself being one of the more physically strong guys in Utah, then found myself being one of the least-physically strong in California.”
Blais said he welcomes hopeful players to participate in drop-ins Tuesday and Thursday nights at the Basin Fieldhouse from 3 to 5 p.m.