Alvarez Award founder champions soccer in Hillsborough

In his 19 years of coaching youth soccer, Jose Alvarez always employed a, "Do as I say, not as I do" philosophy with his players.

"I never played soccer formally," Alvarez said. "I remember playing a little with some friends when I was in high school, getting kicked in the knees, and slugging the kid.

"When I coached, I was more of a cheerleader for the kids."

Despite having coached his last game in 1996, Alvarez continues to champion young soccer players.

On June 14, Wes Sever of Tampa Prep and Amber Famiglietti of Berkley Prep became the latest recipients of the Jose Alvarez Award, presented to the top male and female high school senior soccer player in Hillsborough.

Sever scored 32 goals and had nine assists in helping lead the Terrapins to their third state championship in his four years at the school.

"We still talk about it (the state championship) every day," Sever said. "Coach (Doug Smith) and I passed in a corridor at school and talked about it for 15 minutes."

Meanwhile, Famiglietti was a key player in the Buccaneers' run to the Class 3A state final this season.

This is the 26th year for the Jose Alvarez Award, which uses individual playing ability, team play, attitude, character and scholastic ability as its criteria. County high school coaches submitted nominees and, for the first time, a committee selected this year's winners. Previous winners were voted on by Hillsborough soccer coaches.

Alvarez, 61, presented the 2010 winners with their trophies during a dinner at his Apollo Beach home.

"My dream is to one day have a banquet with all the nominees," he said. "Right now, we're making due in my house with picadillo and mini Cuban sandwiches."

Though Alvarez - a certified public accountant who opened his first practice in 1975 - never considered himself a serious soccer player, he became a fan of the sport in the mid-1970s with the inception of the old Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League. That inspired him to volunteer his services to the Brandon Area Soccer League.

"I just wanted to lend a hand, and I ended up as a head coach," Alvarez said. "We lost our first match 14-0, and we scored three goals all year."

By his fourth year, Alvarez had won the league title in his age division. He eventually coached each of his three sons - Steven, Kevin and Ryan - at various levels.

In 1985, he established the Jose Alvarez Award. Each winner receives a trophy.

Alvarez maintains scrapbooks of each of the previous winners' exploits, including All-America honors and being drafted by Major League Soccer.

"He [Alvarez] is the epitome of hard work and perseverance," said Tony Saladino, who is the namesake for his own award honoring the county's top senior baseball player.

Saladino and Alvarez have crossed paths over the years more than a few times in their praise of area prep stars.

In fact, Alvarez's primary goal remains raising the profile of the sport he learned to love.

"When we started giving out this award, people in this country didn't really know about soccer, especially at the high school level," said Alvarez, a native of Cuba who moved to Florida when he was 12. "My goal is to promote soccer, and the players who are excelling in every aspect of the sport, as much as possible."