Prep soccer: Culture, integrity keys to Ayala’s longevity at Archie Williams

When Rene Ayala first began coaching soccer at Archie Williams High – then known as Drake – he admits he had no idea he’d stick around long enough to pile up 200 career wins.

“Dharma Clement was the coach at then Drake back in (2002) – 02-03 was my first year teaching at Archie – he approached me and heard I had played soccer and asked if I wanted to coach the JV team for the boys. I took it on an interim basis thinking I was just going to do it for a year or two and then, look, 24 years later here we are.”

Ayala took over the varsity boys program 20 years ago and had a six-year run with the varsity girls soccer program as well before both sports were moved to the winter. Fast forward to today and Ayala is one of the most respected coaches in the county, is the Dean of Students at Archie Williams, has numerous section titles and the first NorCal soccer title in school history on his resume – plus that aforementioned 200th win which came earlier this month against Acalanes.

“He’s the ultimate sportsman in my opinion,” Tam boys soccer coach Shane Kennedy said. “The one thing about Rene is that you always know you’re gonna play a team that’s prepared, that competes hard, and displays incredible sportsmanship. The culture that he’s created over there, it’s stood the test of the time. He’s been doing it – I don’t know how many years, but it’s been a while. I always know when we play them, it’s going to be a battle then it’s going to be a good, firm congratulations after the game.

“I love playing his teams and I don’t love playing his teams, you know. They’re always a tough out.”

For Ayala, a native of El Salvador, his love for soccer began at an early age in what was a moment of intense pride for his country – when it qualified for the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

“When I was coming of age – at the age when a kid who loves sports starts to understand and finds a passion for it – our national team made the World Cup in 1982,” Ayala said. “I was turning 8 years old, so I was at that age, right? So that right there made me dream like ‘Oh my God, the World Cup!’ It was such a national event for us to make it. Did we do well? No. Actually, I think we have the record for the most goals conceded in a game, but it was just such a source of pride and joy — especially with the political turmoil that was going on in my country at the time – just having an escape with football.

“So ever since I was a kid, it was a great way for me to connect with my father and just my family, just watching soccer.”

Ayala’s family moved to San Francisco and he spent his playing days in The City, at Mission High then City College of San Francisco followed by San Francisco State.

“I wasn’t the best player,” Ayala said. “I was a utility guy at best but it was always a passion for me to just be involved in the game. Then I got into education and became a teacher and coaching just seemed to be a seamless thing for me as a way of connecting and just teaching. It was just an amazing fit for me just to be able to merge those two passions of education and soccer.”

Under Ayala, the Pirates/Peregrine Falcons have established an identity based on for their blue-collar work rate and sportsmanship. The team-wide bleached hair part of the program’s culture predates even Ayala but he opted to participate in it as well after the team won section titles in 2021-22 and 2024-25.

“The way he has his players handle the other teams in the league – we’re gonna battle, right?,” Branson School coach Tom Ryan said. “When you play Archie, you know you’re gonna be in a battle. … But once that final whistle blows, there’s kind of a collective celebration. … They’re not going crazy. They’re not disrespectful. They win with class and they never lose their dignity and I think that says a lot about Rene.”

Having his players treat the opposing players, coaches, and the referees the right way has always been an important part of Ayala’s philosophy as a teacher and a coach.

“When you have that philosophy and you stand by it, everything that you do and everything that you say should be in line with that philosophy,” Ayala said. “We preach integrity. We preach ‘Man On The Glass’ and just making sure that you’re representing your school and representing your family the way it should be represented.

“When I ask myself what does that look like as far as manifesting in action, then you have to lead your life with that in mind and you have to be aligned otherwise you’re performing it, you’re not living it. So for me, having that commitment to that philosophy, having that commitment to my responsibility to display and model that philosophy to the guys that I’m so privileged to coach every year, it’s important to me.”

The Peregrine Falcons won their first boys soccer section title in 2022 with MCAL Player of the Year Owen Benson (now at USF), plus first-team selections Davis Logan and Zack Lillington (who was drafted by St. Louis City SC of the MLS earlier this month).

The 2023-24 team finished second in league then made it to championship games at the league, section, and NorCal levels – coming up agonizingly short all three times.

The 2024-25 team – with MCAL Player of the Year Sean Chamberlin, first-teamers Willy Finley, Jackson Richardson and Jake Morrison, plus second-teamers Charlie Hinkelman and Aidan Dunn – completed a dream season. The Peregrine Falcons finished first in league and won the section and NorCal titles that eluded them the year prior.

“Having those heart-wrenching experiences, they harm you a little bit,” Ayala said after the 5-1 victory against Hillsdale in the NorCal Division III championship game. “They give you perspective. They give you that knowledge and that wisdom that you need in moments like these – those championship moments when you have to make that key tackle, make that pass, finish the play. These guys learned the hard way how to do that, how to become winners. They’re immortalized, man. They’re going to be champions forever.”

The only trophy Archie Williams was unable to secure last season was the MCAL postseason title. Redwood defeated Archie Williams 3-2 with a goal in stoppage time in that final.

Ayala, whose son, Xavier, was a senior on that team, admitted that he was given the perfect opportunity to ride off into the sunset.

“I must admit there’s a competitive edge, the juice as I like to call it,’ Ayala said. “You want to be in that competitive environment. I can’t play any more so this is the closest I can get to that. So that’s part of it but if that was the only reason, I would have been done a long time ago. I think it’s the belief that the culture that’s been built at Archie is still something that’s thriving and that culture piece is what keeps me coming back.

“Now that competitive fervor is still there, don’t get me wrong,” Ayala said. “Last year, we climbed the mountain top and it would have been the perfect opportunity but understanding that we’ve got guys who were on that team last year – and its gonna be like that no matter when I retire – but just having that special group coming back with an opportunity to again continue to cultivate and build on that culture is what brings me back.”