CJ Welcomes New Girls Soccer Head Coach
Bringing nearly two decades of coaching experience, a passion for student development, and a strong commitment to building a competitive, connected team culture, Jim Gobrail was named head coach for CJ’s girls soccer program.
“Coach Jim Gobrail brings a wealth of knowledge and experience,” said Anthony Turner ’04, athletic director. “Along with that experience comes structure, accountability, servant leadership, and a standard of excellence that will help our student-athletes grow both on and off the field. We are excited for the leadership, discipline, and passion he will bring to CJ soccer.”
Gobrail first got interested in coaching after reflecting on his high school experience.
“Early in my teaching career, I wanted to get involved in extracurricular activities because I had so many positive experiences in high school that occurred outside the classroom: sports, retreats, clubs, service, etc.,” said Gobrail. “When the junior varsity B (JVB) assistant job was posted, I thought it would be a good way to connect with students and get more involved in the Centerville community.”
That decision sparked a coaching journey that has now spanned nearly 20 years. Beginning at Centerville High School in 2007, the coach spent two years leading the JVB team, four years with the JVA program, and nine years as varsity head coach. Following a brief step away from the sidelines after the 2022 season, the pull of the game quickly returned.
“In 2023, the year after I stepped down from Centerville, I realized I’m terrible at sitting on the parents’ side of the field,” said Gobrail. “I figured I might as well find a way to contribute.”
His passion for coaching led to joining the CJ coaching staff as an assistant in 2024, creating a natural transition into the varsity head coaching role.
“The CJ community is a most welcoming and caring environment with amazing students and families. I’m excited to work with the players and coaches to build a positive, competitive, and consistent program that represents the community admirably,” said Gobrail.
Gobrail plans to build the team around five core values: competitiveness and intensity, toughness and resilience, humility and gratitude, active engagement, and unity and support.
“I ask players to demonstrate these characteristics on the field, in the classroom, and in their community,” he said. “Everything comes down to the training environment. If we want to perform our best in matches when it counts, we must bring that same mentality to training daily.”
While competitive success remains important, the coach emphasized that developing strong individuals will always come first.
“My most important goal for the program is to develop players of high character who represent their team, program, school, and community positively. Yes, we want to win, but we recognize soccer is only a small part of the players’ lives—it should not define them or their experiences,” said Gobrail.
Looking ahead, while Gobrail hopes to make the soccer team competitive and consistent, he wants to instill in players an appreciation for the game and personal life skills.
“We are working toward the program’s first conference and district title as starting points,” said Gobrail. “We hope that players can take their experiences in soccer—both the good and the bad—and use them to grow as individuals and contribute to their future communities.”