Jeff Tully
The Burbank Red Machine club soccer organization has been in
existence since the 1980s.
However, until two years ago, the most Burbank-related aspect of
the club was its name, and the fact it practiced at Woodbury
University, which is on the city border with Sun Valley.
But with new leadership, a new dedication to players of the city
and a renewed focus, the Burbank Red Machine is headed in a positive
and successful direction.
"Our main goal is to return the Burbank Red Machine to the boys'
and girls' players of Burbank," said Robert DeLeon, the
organization's president. "We want to make it a Burbank club in the
truest form.
"In years past, it really wasn't a club with the interest of the
players of Burbank at heart. But we are changing that, and we are
very excited about the direction we are going in."
With 11 teams, featuring boys' and girls' players from 9-19, the
club has been able to expand the last two years, while providing a
competitive competition for local athletes.
Heading into Coast Soccer League play next month, DeLeon said he
estimates the organization is about 60% Burbank residents, but would
like that number to increase to at least 80%.
"It is important to have a club organization in the city," DeLeon
said. "Not only does it benefit the players and the community, but it
ultimately benefits the local high schools, which get players who
have experience playing competitive soccer."
A person who knows that local club teams benefit the high schools
in their area, and act as feeder programs, is Burroughs boys' soccer
Coach Mike Kodama.
Along with the majority of his current varsity players who
competed for Burbank Red Machine squads, the bulk of Kodama's
Foothill League championship teams in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and 1997
also played local club soccer.
"It is very important to have a club soccer program in the area,"
said Kodama, who has run the Burroughs program for 18 years. "Most of
the best competitive high school programs in Southern California have
good local club soccer programs supporting them.
"When we get players at Burroughs from the Red Machine, we know
that they are going to be skilled, they are going to know the game of
soccer, and we aren't going to have to teach the team the basics of
the sport."
DeLeon became involved in the organization two years ago, when his
son -- Robert -- was competing for the Burbank Red Machine boys'
under-15 team. When it was reveled the program's organizer planned to
step down, DeLeon saw a golden opportunity to step in.
