by Bruce Tippets
BTippets@cherryroad.com

New Union High School boys soccer coach Eldon Brough has the experience under his belt to make the Cougars competitive this spring in Class 3A.

Brough and his family moved to Roosevelt a year and a half ago.

He felt the time was right for him to apply for the job when former coach Bill Goodrich stepped down from the position last year.

“I was pleasantly surprised with how many kids are in the sport and how it’s growing in the area,” Brough said. “I have three boys who are younger that play. I just felt like there is a lot of potential for the sport to grow. I want to make it so the boys in the area feel like it’s a privilege to be part of the program. I not only feel with this team, and going forward, I think we can become one of the better teams in 3A soccer.”

He currently serves as the men’s and women’s soccer coach at Colorado Northwest Community College in Rangely, Colorado. Both of those seasons are played in the fall.

“It worked out because the high school boys season is in the spring,” Brough said.

Brough knows there is a big difference coaching college players compared to high school athletes.

“With the high school kids, you are focusing more on the principles,” he said. “The majority of the kids will come into college with that understanding and those abilities.”

Brough recently started the Cougar FC program, which is for soccer players between the ages of 3-18.

“I have a lot of teams that are playing with that,” he said. “I’m just trying to help the sport as much as possible in the area. I’m honored to help keep the boys moving in a positive direction.”

The new Union coach likes how hard his high school players have worked in practice for the first few weeks.

“The majority of the returning players are going to be varsity players,” Brough said. “They have been very consistent in attending those practices. We have established a little foundation in what we are trying to do.”

The Cougars opened the season with an 8-0 win at Wendover March 9.

Union’s Andy Salazar led the way with three goals. Paolo Zavala and Jorge Ontiveros had two goals apiece. Paolo Zavala had one goal. Coy Duncan recorded the shutout in goal.

“We do have a good starting group,” said Brough. “I believe if they continue to embrace what we are trying to and how we are going to play, we have the ability to compete with anybody on our schedule. We are going to come out and surprise some people.”

The Cougars are slated to compete in Region 14 this spring. Union will play home-and-away matches with Delta, Juab, Manti and North Sanpete.

Besides coaching at CNCC, he was at the helm of the Hillcrest girls soccer program from January of 2019 to May of 2022.

“I just loved it,” Brough said.

His resume also includes a stop as the head strength and conditioning coach at Utah Valley University from August of 2016 to December of 2018.

“That’s when I decided to take a different direction and wanted to get back into coaching,” he said.

Brough explained for 13 years he was the strength and conditioning coach for different colleges all over the United States.

“I was working my way up the ladder,” Brough said. “I was always assigned to soccer at all those colleges that I worked at. I was able to pick up some things from very high-level coaches.”

He first started his high coaching career as the West High School girls soccer coach and the boys coach at Rowland Hall, while he was going to University of Utah.

Brough was also a student assistant strength and conditioning coach at Utah.