By MARTY JAMES
A tear of the anterior cruciate ligament that he suffered playing in a game in February of 2017 for Napa Valley 1839 FC, a member of the Golden Gate Conference-West Region of the National Premier Soccer League, caused[CJ1] Jesus "Chuy" Ochoa to question his future in the game.
Ochoa's family wasn't going to hear of it, however. They stood right by him as he went through extensive physical therapy and rehab following surgery to his right knee, a process in which he learned to walk all over again. Ochoa's younger brother, David Ochoa, was there every step of the way, helping out Jesus with his comeback and a return to soccer as a defensive midfielder.
"I want to give a shout-out to my little brother, because he was the one that would keep on pushing me into rehab. He was the one that would go to my physical therapist and be there for me, to tell me to not give up. He's one of the big reasons why I try so hard every day," Jesus said in a phone interview on April 20.
Jesus Ochoa had the support of his family, as his parents bought him a treadmill, a stationary bike and a yoga mat, so he could do his therapy and other work at home.
"I wouldn't be here without the support of my family," Jesus said.
He also had the support of his coach at Napa Valley College, Rogelio Ochoa. He and Jesus are first cousins.
"At times, with my injuries, I wanted to stop, actually, because it was a long battle, not just physically, but in my head, too," Jesus said. "Coach just told me to keep working hard, that one day something good is going to happen for me. He believed in me. He gave me a platform to showcase my skills.
"I'm just blessed that it's finally going in the right direction. I had to work hard for this."
Jesus Ochoa, selected as the most valuable player of the Bay Valley Conference for the league champion Storm last fall, will continue in soccer when he transfers to Indiana University East. He signed a national letter-of-intent at his home in Yountville on April 17 to play on an athletic scholarship for the Red Wolves.
Ochoa plans to major in business, with a concentration in entrepreneurship. Indiana University East, located in Richmond, Indiana, is an NAIA school and plays in the River States Conference. Indiana University East is a regional campus of Indiana University.
"After high school, I thought for sure that I was going to make big moves," said Ochoa, a 2015 Vintage High School graduate. "But life hits you sometimes. There's always light at the end of the tunnel.
"This is exciting. I want to thank all of the coaches that I have had in my lifetime. I want to thank Coach (Steve) Moore (of Indiana University East), because he believes in me, and for giving me an opportunity to go out there. One thing that I want to bring to Indiana is a winning mentality."
Ochoa will have two years of eligibility with the Red Wolves.
"One of my dreams in life is to represent a four-year (college)," he said.
"His goal was to play at a four-year, but it's not always a straight line going forward," said Rogelio Ochoa. "He had to overcome injuries. He had to overcome academic setbacks. It doesn't mean you can't continue. It's a challenge. It's what you want to do – your end result, your end goal."
Years at Vintage High and background in soccer
Ochoa was a standout at Vintage, helping lead the Crushers to a 19-1-3 record as they won the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division II title in 2014.
He was twice named All-Monticello Empire League and was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year on the All-Napa County team.
Vintage won each of its four playoff games during the 2014 season, taking down Rocklin, 1-0, in four overtimes; Stagg-Stockton, 1-0; Atwater, 1-0; and Merced, 2-1 in the finals.
Ochoa played for the Napa Valley Soccer Club and Napa Valley FC.
"He's always had a talent," said Rogelio Ochoa. "He can play truly any position. His positioning and his awareness around the field is pretty good. Because he is a little taller, he can pick up ground. He can get to certain spots and places pretty quickly because of his long strides.
"Offensively, he has the vision. He can use both feet really well. He can give a good 10-yard pass and he can also give a good 40-yard pass – with either leg. He keeps the other team on their heels, not knowing if it's going short or long. He can beat you with one long ball over the top.
"On the defensive side, that definitely helps out. He's a big physical player."
Years at Napa Valley College
Ochoa was a team captain and was named All-Bay Valley Conference as both a freshman and sophomore for the Storm.
He played on the 2016 team. He redshirted during the 2018 season after having surgery for a torn ACL in 2017. The injury, which happened while he was playing center-back in a game for Napa Valley 1839 FC at Redwood Middle School, left him unsure about his future in soccer.
"I just had an unlucky play," he recalled.
He gave some thought to ending his playing career, due to the injury.
"I was planning on making a comeback to play in 2018, but come summer time, I didn't feel 100 percent. I didn't really want to play if I knew my body wasn't 100 percent," said Ochoa.
"The summer of 2018 I was in my head a lot, saying, hey, stop playing soccer, focus on something else. I just know I had to keep pushing against all odds – there's always light at the end of the tunnel. I remembered who I am and what I could do. I've always been a guy that's known for his physical presence on the field. I knew that this last fall season was one of my last chances to get recruited."
Ochoa returned to the field in 2019, playing his sophomore season for NVC and leading the Storm (9-8-2 overall, 8-1-1 Bay Valley) to the conference title and a spot in the California Community College Athletic Association Championships. The Storm's season came to an end with a 4-0 loss to Santa Rosa Junior College in a Round 1 match of the Northern California Regional. It's a 16-team, single-elimination bracket.
"I'm really happy that I ended up having a great year," said Ochoa, 22. "I'm super proud of the team. We did a really great job."
Jesus Ochoa has not only had to tend to returning from a knee injury. He has also had injuries to his shoulders.
"He didn't have minor injuries – he had big injuries," said Rogelio Ochoa. "He's had to overcome injuries, not just physically. But also we all know how tough it can be mentally as well. It's made him grow as a player. He's more conscious about the movements that he does. He tries to do it correctly.
"I think it's definitely helped him improve when it comes to the game, because it's made him take care of his body, understand the game better, and understand what he can and cannot do, within the field.
"When an injury comes, it's how we respond – it says a lot about the character. But there are definitely challenges. It definitely questions your character and your drive and the love for the game with the sport. I think he's been able to really prove that he really wanted it."
Jesus Ochoa has received treatment in the NVC athletic training department from Brandon Lucas and Traci Oyama, the school's athletic trainers.
Soccer at Indiana University East
The 2019 season for the Red Wolves came to a close with a 3-0 loss to University of Rio Grande in the River States Conference Championship semifinal in Rio Grande, Ohio.
Indiana University East went 13-7 on the season.
It was the Red Wolves' third season in NAIA.
The River States Conference also includes Alice Lloyd College (Pippa Passes, KY), Asbury University (Wilmore, KY), Brescia University (Owensboro, KY), Carlow University (Pittsburgh), Indiana University Kokomo (Kokomo, IN), Indiana University Southeast (New Albany, IN), Midway University (Midway, KY), Oakland City University (Oakland City, IN), Ohio Christian University (Circleville, OH), Point Park University (Pittsburgh), and WVU Tech (Beckley, WV).
* Marty James is a freelance writer who makes his home in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019 after spending 40 years as a sports writer, sports editor and executive sports editor for the Napa Valley Register, a daily newspaper in Napa County. He is a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Association, Associated Press Sports Editors, and California Prep Sports Media Association. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Hall of Fame in 2016 and the Vintage High School Athletic Hall of Fame in September of 2019.