Soccer alumnus enjoys first year on Beach Soccer National Team
GoSlugs.com recently talked with soccer alumnus Lukas Holocher ('18), who has become a member of the United States National Beach Soccer Team. Holocher scored his first official international goal last month in El Salvador in a win against Belize. The USA went on to beat Trinidad and Tobago in the next game to officially qualify for this summer's ANOC Beach Games in Bali, and played El Salvador in the final in front of a packed stadium and beat them 4-2 to win the qualifiers.
Lukas and Team USA will play in the Acapulco International Cup this weekend against Colombia, Mexico, and Saudi Arabia.
 Goslugs- What is it like being from Santa Cruz and growing up in the culture of beach soccer?
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LH- I love telling people I'm from Santa Cruz, and I'm incredibly grateful for the time I spent here as a kid. Santa Cruz has got to be one of the coolest cities in California. It's got a relaxed vibe, great beaches and, of course, an incredible soccer community. Growing up, I would hear stories of Santa Cruz beach soccer players competing for the National Team and traveling across the world to play professionally.
 Growing up with your dad as a coach, has it been different developing your game/style? Any added pressure or quirks from having family involved in the game at high levels?
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LH- I definitely credit my father a lot in regards to my overall development and understanding of the game. He's well versed and understands the modern game and player development methodologies well, so it's great to use him as a resource to learn new things. He was great because he never put added pressure on me, and just wanted me to enjoy it and play it properly. My Dad actually coached the UCSC Men's Soccer team when I was a little kid. They had some really good seasons and even went to the NCAA finals. We eventually left Santa Cruz for San Luis Obispo when I was 9. When it came my time to choose where to continue my education after going to Cabrillo College, UCSC was top of mind and it made coming back to Santa Cruz and wearing the jersey feel special. He's stoked about my new beach soccer adventures.
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The 2004 UCSC Team, with a young Lukas far left with his father Paul Holocher
LH- Funny enough, my father would tell me about his UCSC players who would go on to train with Futevoli (in Brazil) or play beach soccer professionally in Europe. In essence, Santa Cruz has had a long history of high-level beach soccer competition, and I'm really proud to play a small part in the continuation of that.
 How did you get noticed by the US team?
LH- I got noticed by the National Team Coaching Staff in Oceanside at a player ID camp. And then a couple weeks later at the 2023 Americas Winners Cup in El Salvador.
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There's been a core group who has carried the torch (in Santa Cruz), led by Tanner Akol, Guero Mondragon, and Yuri Morales - who are all current/former National Team players themselves. The group is called "Cruz'n Beach Soccer". Personally, I've always enjoyed challenging myself at the highest level, so it's been a blessing to learn from these types of players and improve my game that way. I've taken my training more seriously over the past 6-7 months, and it's been a blast playing and working with everyone involved on the sand. We were playing Footvolley last July, and Yuri randomly asked me - "you ever thought of trying out for the National Team?" He was the spark for me to take my training more seriously so he's been a great mentor for me.
 What were your goals in the Spain camp and what do you hope to achieve/prove with the US and long term as a player?
LH- I was super honored to be involved in this training camp. I'd hoped to showcase myself well- Play smart and hard. Most importantly though, I wanted to use it as an opportunity to be a student again, to learn as much as I can from the staff and experienced players with the idea of adding to and refining my game.
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Lukas (R) with fellow Santa Cruzan Cody Valcarcel after winning in El SalvadorThe USA celebrates after qualification What's your favorite moment on the beach?
LH- Being selected for the training camp in Spain was definitely special and a moment I won't ever forget.
But my personal favorite was qualifying for the Semi-finals in the Americas Winners Cup in El Salvador this past February with our local Cruz'n Beach Soccer team. We came to the competition as a completely unranked team, and through each game we delivered upsets and strong performances. The training and preparation paid off against the highest-levels and that was really satisfying. That's what happens when you have an amazing group of people willing to collaborate and work together. It was great to represent Santa Cruz and put our names on the map!
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