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Feb 23, 2008 1:47 pm US/Central
Game Goes On Without 'Coach Victor'
Youth Soccer Team Prays, Plays Game In Coach's Memory
PLANO (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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Parents took the loss incredibly hard. Many of them shared tears and embraces from the sidelines.
KTVT / KTXA
The Daffron Dragons huddled together for a brief prayer for "Coach Victor" before an early morning Saturday soccer game in Plano. The team honored one of their coaches, Victor Lozada, the Dallas Police officer who was killed when the motorcycle he was riding on during a motorcade escort hit a curb.
The youth soccer tam was short a few players – including Lozada's 10-year-old son – because of the news of the officer's death. Lozada's widow told the team the game should be played this morning despite her husband's accident.
Lozada was part of Hillary Clinton's motorcade on Friday. The senator and presidential candidate was scheduled to speak at rallies in Dallas and Fort Worth, but canceled the latter political rally once she learned of Lozada's death.
Lozada's fellow coaches credit him for helping the boys win the league championship in 2006.
This morning's game was difficult for other parent coaches and players.
"The fact that his presence is no longer on the field to let us know he's here ... it's huge" says assistant coach Chris Baylor.
"The boys held up pretty well, we are extremely proud of them," he adds of the game. Messages of love and loss were written on poster board and place on the metallic bench where their beloved coach would sit on the sidelines before their games.
Parents took the loss incredibly hard, as well. Many of them shared tears and embraces from the sidelines.
"At the end of every game he'd ask the kids, 'Did you have fun?' If they didn't answere, he'd asked again 'til they'd say 'yes.' That's all he cared about," adds parent Mark Jones.
The father of four had coached the team for the past four seasons and was very active in other youth-related activities, including anti-drug and anti-gang programs.
The Dragons won the game, and left the field only after saying a quick prayer for their coach with a vow to never forget how much of a difference he made.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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