Boys soccer: Streamwood's Camarena Fox Valley captain

Imagine after nine years of living in the same town, going to the same high school for the past three and your parents telling you prior to your senior year that the family is moving to another suburb in which you have to go to a totally different high school. And that you had to leave everything and everybody you knew behind, even those teammates you've played soccer for so long.

That was the situation Alan Camarena was forced into this season, as he waved good bye to Burlington Central over the summer and hello to Streamwood, an 18-mile trek east.

Naturally one would think Camarena, who lived in Burlington for nearly a decade, would have struggled at first making new friends on top of acclimating himself to a whole new soccer culture in Streamwood, led by coach Matt Polovin. Fortunately for the 5-foot 7 forward, the luxury of club teams in this day and age that brings friends together from all walks of life, and the friends he already had at Streamwood, made Camarena's transition nearly flawless, but not entirely a walk in a park due to the school's participation in Class 3A.

“It was a big change and a big impact for him, his mentality changed completely,” said teammate Christian Balbino. “His heart got bigger and no matter where he plays, he know what he has to do.”

Reuniting with Balbino, whom he's know since he was eight-years-old as well as Edwin Rueda, Erie Ortiz, Mike Delaney and the rest of the Sabres made the summer rehabbing from injury and getting in shape for the fall season that much easier. And the regimen Polovin labored his team with paid dividends as Camarena appeared quicker, stronger and more confident this season.

“He would be there every morning with us since day one working hard, showing dedication,” Balbino said. “I could say he's one of the best players in the state.”

And Camarena's hard work paid off. He scored 23 goals and had 12 assists entering this weekend's Class 3A Final Four, where he has helped the Sabres land for the first time in program history. Along the way, his own trophy case has expanded exponentially, with all-state and all-Upstate Eight honors, a PepsiCo Showdown all-tournament team selection and a regional, sectional and supersectional championship to boot.

With these accomplishments, Camarena didn't just deserve the 2014 Daily Herald Fox Valley All-Area captain honor, he simply ran away with it.

“He's been an unbelievable pleasure to have on the team. The guys since day one welcomed him in and if there's anything more than perfect, this is what it is. He's done such a wonderful job for us,” Polovin said. “How he's come into a new situation and has been comfortable like's been a four-year player at this school and making all-state for his only year at the school … gosh.”

But if you ask the speedy forward himself how hard the transition was, it's almost as if there was no transition whatsoever.

“It wasn't hard at all to move to Streamwood because I have a lot friends that I knew since I was little,” said Camarena. “They tell me who not to hang out with because they're a bad influence and they wouldn't like me doing bad stuff. They're always with me and most of the time all we talk about is soccer, especially our season. Coach Polovin has helped me a lot in and out of the field. He's the best coach to be honest. He gives me and also the team advice about what to do and not to do and so far it has helped us. If you listen to him, you will be successful.”

Which is why this season in particular has vindicated this striker's confidence, ability and dreams of playing soccer beyond the high school and club level, something Camarena covets.

“I feel so proud of myself because this is a big achievement. This kind of news gets me really confident and it gives me more strength,” Camarena said. “My parents are really proud of me for this award and they know I'll get really far with my soccer career.”

Camarena's career started at six years old when he played for Grand FC Mustangs out of Hoffman Estates for most of his childhood before switching to the Elgin Pumas in the beginning of this year. But the legend of Camarena exploded in last year's Class 2A playoffs with Burlington Central when Camarena's former coach Mike Gecan coined him the “Magic Man” due to his heroics against Kaneland in the regional championship. Camarena scored the game-winner in a 1-0 win on a breakaway with 55 seconds left. Then against Freeport, he broke a scoreless tie with 10 minutes left to vault the Rockets into the sectional championship.

“He was simply magical at times. When we needed a goal Alan was our go-to guy,” Gecan said. “We missed not having him with us this season but we are glad to see that he was able to help Streamwood's soccer team get to the next level.”

In a Class 3A supersectional against Lake Park, the Magic Man added an much important insurance goal early in the second half that helped Streamwood get to the state finals, a first for the Sabres in any boys sport. He was held scoreless for 3 games prior but never showed ill will or frustration.

“He's got a lot of heart, moving from one school to the next, playing top level,” said Delaney, the Sabres' top defender. “Even though it's a bigger school and it's better competition, he's showing a lot that he knows he can play with the best people and best teams out there. He's one of the best players to come to this school.”

“His dedication and hard work, his finishing, he did his job (this season) so we feel it's fair to us pay it back for his hard work and dedication,” exclaimed Balbino, who's another top Sabres' defender. “We couldn't thank him more for the season he's having so far. Hopefully we can go farther.”

What Camarena brings to the table is a dynamic scoring ability and the technique that comes with it. He's meticulous on the location of his shots and to go along with his ball work, passing and vision, he's sometimes more eager to split defenders and get his teammates involved.

“When he's getting double-teamed he's found a way to split those defenders with his craftiness and the speed,” Polovin said. “We'll find an open guy making a run down the wing and we'll give it to them, use his speed to beat the defender to get into a for a cross and a finish.”

The most memorable game besides his hat trick against South Elgin was his second hat trick against Elgin, where he brought the Sabres back from a 1-0 deficit at the half all by himself. One goal was a bicycle kick and another a shot from an impossible angle. On the field he's almost like the werewolf mask he donned after beating Boylan for the sectional title the day after Halloween.

“Erie Ortiz for whatever reason had a werewolf mask in his backpack for Halloween,” Polovin said. “He has a comedic side. He's not the most outgoing kid. He's super quiet. A lot of times when I'm talking to him I have to put my head forward to hear what he's saying. But that's just how he is but as a person he's super nice, the kids just love him. But once he steps onto the field, he's a different monster. He's not the little shy reserved kid. He's the outgoing, 'I own this place get of the way' type of a kid. It's pretty amazing how someone can have two different personalities.”

Polovin adds that Camarena is an outstanding student as his grades are as near perfect as you can get. Camarena thanks his teammates for what they've done on and off the field.

“My personality outside the field is the same as inside the field. I like to win, I want to be successful in my education,” Camarena said. “I never give up on anything just like if we're losing in a game.”

Which is no wonder Camarena was able to handle this season in such a magical way.