By Ron Hillis
Fraga DaRosa completed a two year run as head coach of the Bayside U16 boys' soccer team, the Thunder, this Memorial Day Weekend in Jacksonville with a semi finalist position in the US Club Region C Championship and a fifth place GotSoccer state ranking.
The Thunder was selected to play in the elite Super Cup Division based on previous tournament records and their progression to the FYSA State Cup Sweet 16. They proved worthy of this honor by tying State Cup Final Four representative Florida Soccer Alliance 1-1 from Orlando, beating Gainesville 1-0 and losing 1-2 to IUS-Black Elite, also from Orlando. Diego Figueroa and Danny Gibble accounted for the scores.
Coach Fraga has steadily improved the Thunder's level of play during his two year tenure from playing local tournaments to becoming a presence throughout the Southeast. His total record for that time is 52-16-12 and he will be remembered as one of the most successful and passionate coaches in the Gulf Breeze area. Under his guidance the Thunder, a team from a community of 7,000, has successfully competed against clubs from metropolitan areas like Atlanta, Jacksonville, Memphis and Orlando. All but three of the Thunder attend Gulf Breeze High School and intend to play for GBHS.
Coach Fraga will remember Jacksonville for more than soccer. He passed the American citizenship exam there and is now waiting for the date when he will be sworn in as an American citizen. Fraga and wife Susan with their three children are stepping aside from soccer to pursue missionary work in Fraga's native country of Brazil. The DaRosas' plan to leave this fall, and the team along with the parents wish them best of luck and continued success.
