Then there is Eliseo "Papo" Santos. He is the Boca FC coach. He coached the Flash during the A-League years.
Santos is a well-known coach within the Mexican-American community in San Diego. He has often fielded youth and high school teams with mostly Latino players. Boca FC has an ethnic mixture in its roster.
"We like to take in players that can help us win and it doesn't matter what their background is," Santos said earlier this year as the club held preseason tryouts. "But I've said it plenty of times, futbol is played in the barrios and that's where you often find good players."
Santos is also familiar with the Flash's style of play and it could make for an interesting point during the match.
Saturday's match should draw a significant interest from the local soccer community. There is a sense of loyalty to local teams from plenty of fans.
San Diego has seen plenty of it. After all, the city has had a handful of amateur teams over the past two decades.
There were the Pumitas, which Santos also coached, in the NPSL. The San Diego Gauchos played five seasons in the Unites Soccer Leagues. The NPSL also had the San Diego Fusion, which folded in 2007 despite winning the league title.
Then there is the SeaLions, which have been around since 1988 and currently compete in the Women's Premier Soccer League. Santos coached the SeaLions at one point.
They play home matches at Cathedral Catholic High School's Manchester Stadium. They begin their 2011 season in early June.
The other women's soccer team to play in San Diego was the Women Gauchos, which was founded in 2005 and later became the Soundwaves before folding in 2007. A collection of community college players were on this team. They had difficulty keeping up in the USL W-League against mostly veterans from the WUSA.
Still, none of these teams were able to develop a true rivalry, a San Diego Clásico.
There might be something brewing Saturday when the Flash and Boca FC meet. San Diego could have found its premier soccer rivalry and it doesn't involve teams from out-of-town.
San Diego Sockers to be honored
The Flash will honor the San Diego Sockers indoor soccer team at halftime for winning their franchise record 12th North American PASL-Pro Championship, including back-to-back titles the last two seasons.
Sockers striker Kraig Chiles, the PASL-Pro MVP and leading scorer, will do the ceremonial kickoff.
ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
NPSL Southwest Division Standings
Pts GP W T L GF GA GD
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SD Flash 6 2 2 0 0 6 2 4
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San Diego Boca FC 6 2 2 0 0 3 1 2
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Santa Ana Winds 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 -1
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FC Hasental 0 2 0 0 2 1 4 -3
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