Southwestern Randolph Cougars coach could see special group developing

Southwestern Randolph boys’ soccer players celebrate a goal during the Class 4A state final last month. (Jann Ortiz / For Randolph Record)

GREENSBORO — Not to be mistaken with the overall difficult task of winning a state championship, Southwestern Randolph boys’ soccer coach Jimmy Walker had a particular perspective on the accomplishment of his team.

That’s because as he guided the Cougars to their first state title he was in charge of a determined group that was united on achieving one goal.

“I promise, this is the easiest coaching job I’ve had,” Walker said. “They’ve been a dream to coach. It is my honor to be around these guys.”

There was plenty of talent to go with the motivation that surfaced for the Cougars.

Southwestern Randolph completed the mission with last month’s 3-0 victory against Newton-Conover in the championship tilt on the Guilford College campus.

The overriding theme for the Cougars was to honor the memory of Pedro Ortiz-Perez, a teammate who died in a spring 2024 shooting.

“We just want to honor his memory and we don’t want to let it go,” Walker said.

Walker is in his third stint as coach of the Southwestern Randolph program. Before the latest return to the helm for the 2022 season, he had been working with middle school teams.

“When I saw that group at the middle school, I said that’s something special, so I’ve got to see this thing out,” Walker said.

Those players are now seniors who formed the core for this year’s title team.

After the group made it through a challenging seven-win freshman season, it was time for the Cougars to shine.

“It was like watching a jet take off,” Walker said.

Then there was a 21-win season, a 25-win season and this year’s 27-1 record.

“It’s going to be a long time before I’m privileged to be able to coach a team with so many weapons and tactically we could do whatever we want,” Walker said.

While it will be a season to remember for the Cougars, Walker said he sees it as much more than capturing the hardware associated with a championship.

“What they have done (in the title game) and during their careers, they’ve got little fans and those little fans are going to be tomorrow’s champions,” Walker said. “… They have definitely put this program on the map.”