TAFT, Calif. (KERO) \u2014 What was thought to be a championship ring ceremony for the Taft Union High School varsity soccer team turned into a surprise trip to the FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n
On Monday, Taft Union High School players gathered expecting to celebrate their CIF championship season by receiving rings. Instead, the team learned they and their coaches would be heading to Los Angeles to attend a World Cup match thanks to California Resources Corporation.<\/p>\n
The team will attend the June 15 match between Iran and New Zealand.<\/p>\n
Junior Carlos Bejarano, a center midfielder and striker for Taft, said the announcement caught the team completely off guard.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m gonna be honest \u2014 I thought we were just getting our Valley rings,\u201d Bejarano said. \u201cI didn\u2019t expect everything that\u2019s happening now. It was a shocker.\u201d<\/p>\n
Bejarano said he initially could hardly believe the news.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was shocked. I was like, \u2018There\u2019s no way, this has to be a dream,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
For the junior, the opportunity means more than attending one of the world\u2019s largest sporting events. He said it represents another milestone for a team that built strong bonds during its championship run.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt feels amazing,\u201d Bejarano said. \u201cWe created a brotherhood between us. We told ourselves we wouldn\u2019t break it, even after the season ended. We\u2019ll stick together no matter what.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that experiencing the event together \u2014 especially alongside graduating seniors \u2014 makes the moment even more meaningful.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s for sure a memory we\u2019ll all carry with us, even after high school,\u201d Bejarano said. \u201cEspecially for them, I\u2019m very happy they get to experience this.\u201d<\/p>\n
Coach Roberto Gonzalez said the World Cup trip reinforces a message he hopes his players carry with them beyond soccer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe always say, \u2018Make what\u2019s never meant to happen, happen,\u2019\u201d Gonzalez said. \u201cWe\u2019re such a small town, but we made it happen \u2014 and we can keep doing that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gonzalez said seeing his team earn a CIF title and now attend a World Cup match feels like a dream for the coaching staff as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cVery, very, very excited,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s also a dream come true for me too \u2014 I\u2019ve never been to one.\u201d<\/p>\n
California Resources Corporation also surprised youth at the Boys and Girls Club in Bakersfield with World Cup tickets as part of the initiative.<\/p>\n
CRC CEO Francisco Leon told students his own childhood experiences in youth programs shaped his path and inspired him to create opportunities for local youth.<\/p>\n
Born in Mexico and raised near the Tijuana-San Diego border, Leon said he crossed into the United States daily to attend school and found inspiration in community programs and after-school activities.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne of the things that brings back fond memories from when I was about your age is experiencing what community centers and organizations like the Boys & Girls Club were all about,\u201d Leon said. \u201cThere\u2019s nothing comparable to what you have here.\u201d<\/p>\n
Speaking to students, Leon encouraged them to think beyond present circumstances and envision their future careers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I look into this audience, I think of myself when I was younger,\u201d Leon said. \u201cI didn\u2019t know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to be in life. But it started with experiences, with asking, \u2018What\u2019s possible?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Leon, now the president and CEO of CRC, told students that success in fields ranging from education and engineering to energy is achievable.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot many kids from Mexico come to the U.S. and become CEOs \u2014 but it\u2019s possible,\u201d Leon said. \u201cIt\u2019s about setting that vision.\u201d<\/p>\n
The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens June 11 with Mexico facing South Africa, with matches scheduled throughout California, including games in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.<\/p>\n
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