For the first time since 2022, the Sedona Red Rock High School girls soccer team is expected to have returned after press time on Tuesday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. against the Payson Longhorns after having to cancel the 2023 season because of low turn out and the 2024 coach backing out.
“[Our] big strength is that we are committed, so because we kind of got the team up off the ground from scratch and there were not too many players who had been here the year before, who had been playing,” said new Head Coach Galen Bessette who is also a bus driver by day for Sedona-Oak Creek School District. “[While] some might view that as a weakness, I think it’s a strength because that’s a sign these players are motivated.”
Bessette is also currently pursuing certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and sees that part of his background as one key for the Scorpions’ success especially since many of the players are new to varsity sports and soccer, but the larger effort for Bessette is relationships.
“My focus with the team is building cooperation, [because] ball control and passing doesn’t get you anywhere unless you know how to use it,” Bessette said. “I’m going to be focusing on the girls working together as a team, basically staying switched on mentally, so that we can outplay the other teams. Where other teams are going to be relying more on their physical factors. We are going to try to basically outnumber them everywhere on the field.”
Bessette said he is optimistic about the season going to completion after the 2023 season had to cancel its schedule a few games in because of its smaller roster. Additionally he credits SRRHS recruitment effort for pitching the sport to students as they board his bus and school announcements.
“It was kind of a bummer, because … people that wanted to do it, and lots of seniors, and then it was just canceled,” senior striker Dalila Pedroz said, who was a freshman during the team’s last full season in 2022. “But it’s exciting to finally have the experience and have a team,
Beyond SRRHS, Pedroz said she wants to study radiology at Yavapai College but until then, her goal for the season is to “think just have fun and just improve the team and bond.”
“Pedroza cares deeply about sports and soccer,” Bessette said. “She has played before and seems to have been waiting a long time for the program to return. She’s clearly very committed.”
Bessette expressed a lot of enthusiasm for Avery Raczynski, a junior who has excelled in sprinting on the track and field team “she might be the fastest kid in school, we‘re glad to have her trying out soccer as well.”
Also joining is freshman Nitzul Bustos who played on the middle school co-ed team, and Bessette cited her strong understanding of the game and physical talent, “[Bustos] is poised to grow into a star player in the future,” he said.
Bessette is looking for an assistant coach, however, that is only available as an unpaid position without a stipend.
Having an assistant coach “would make things a lot easier on me,” Bessette said. “That way, I could split people into groups, so we could work closer with smaller groups. We could separate attack and defense and we could do a whole lot more with assistant coaches. … It’s less stressful than being a teacher, less stressful than a lot of other jobs in the same vein, but it’s a whole lot of fun.”
People interested in becoming a volunteer assistant coach can contact Bessett at (860) 539-5743.
Scorpion Girls Soccer Roster 2025
Kelley Arias Estrada, Sr.
Sasha Barerra, So.
Nitzul Bustos, Fr.
Athena Cadayona, So.
Maya Esquer-Morales, Jr.
Silvia Guadarrama, So.
Clay Hansbrough, Sr.
Brittney Hansbrough, Jr.
Dayanna Landaverde, Jr.
Analeya Martinez, Jr.
Dalila Pedroza, Sr.
Avery Raczynski, Jr.
Maria Saldana, Sr.
Mila Soni, So.
Alexandra Tranquilino, Jr.
Jimena Vargas, Sr.
Giselle Wolf, So.
Head Coach: Galen Bessette
