Coaches

Rico was born and raised in West Sacramento, CA. He has been playing soccer for 28 years at the recreational, competitive, high school, and adult amateur levels. He was introduced to the game of soccer through the West Sacramento Soccer Club (WSSC). More specifically, from his late father, Rico Novoa Sr. who was the Club’s Founder, Past Board Member, past and first ever Coach. Rico played recreationally and competitively at WSSC. He also played at River City High School (C/o 2005). Rico Sr. was Founder of the semi-professional team, the Sacramento Gold, and Rico Jr, along with his father, owned the team. He trained with the Sac Gold for a year, helped manage the team on a day to day basis, and was owner until 2012, when he sold their rights. Since age 16, Rico has been Coaching and Officiating with the WSSC and has nearly 20 years of experience doing both. He is currently the Competitive Program Director, Field Coordinator and Goalkeeper coach. He is passionate about soccer and player development, and is very familiar with the City, Community, and River City High School. He believes that no goal is unattainable. Through consistent hard work, dedication, mental toughness and confidence, you can reach your goal. "Train like you must win. Play like you can't lose". Rico is focused on creating a safe space for players to develop, enjoy, and thrive in. If players enjoy training they are more likely to attend and work hard. This creates a competitive culture and supportive culture from players that buy into concepts and each other. Rico has a proven track record of developing players for individual success and creating consistently competitive teams and successful cultures where players enjoy being. 

Some of the coaching focus for Rico has been developing players technically for all aspects of the game, as well as cerebrally to understand the coaching points and apply training directly to game play and enhance the understanding of the game. Teaching players how to properly prepare for training and matches, physically and mentally. 

Rico has spent his entire club coaching career with WSSC to give back to his community and ensure that the kids here in West Sacramento have the same opportunities in club soccer as other kids that pay much higher prices do. "We are dedicated here at WSSC to focusing on developing players on and off the field to be able to compete with the best of them. The consistently high prices families pay to play at the competitive level is absurd. We try and find ways to significantly lower prices and try to offer the same levels of competition and development as other clubs. All of our coaches in WSSC are volunteers. It's one way we significantly lower prices."

Credentials

• USSF F License (2011)

• US Soccer Grassroots 4v4 online course (December 1st, 2019) 

• US Soccer Grassroots 7v7 License (2024)

• US Soccer Grassroots 11v11 License (2022)

• US Soccer Introduction to Grassroots Coaching

• Summer Symposium - Luis Cortes - Positional attack Pt. 1 & 2 and attacking patterns

• Summer Symposium - Luis Cortes - "Controlling the game from the Start"

• Paul Bower Coaching Education Series - Player Performance, Recovery, and Periodisation (2024)

• Grade 8 Referee Licensee (2005-present)

Coaching Experience

• West Sacramento Soccer Club - Competitive Program Director (Present)

• 19 years of experience coaching boys, girls at all ages and levels

• West Sacramento Soccer Club - Coach (2004 - present)

• Head Coach WS Aztecas 2006/07G Red (2012 - 2024)

• Head Coach River City HS JV-Blue (2021 - 2023)

• Head Coach WS 2005/2006B - (2022 - 2024)

• Head Coach WS 2007B Red - (Present)

• Head Coach River City HS Varsity (2023 - Present)

Jose “Charlie” Becerra and his family relocated to West Sacramento from Mexicali, Mexico at the age of 3, and has continued to live in this city & raise his own family. Jose has been playing recreational soccer since he was a child with the West Sacramento Soccer Club (WSSC), at the competitive level for varying other leagues, and continues to play adult recreational soccer.

Jose played soccer all 4 years of high school at River City HS & currently holds the record for most goals scored during a single season at 26 goals in Fall 2008. During his Senior year, Jose and the boys varsity soccer team won the first ever CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Title for soccer at River City High School. Jose also earned Metro All-League awards in Fall 2007 and Fall 2008.

After graduating, Jose found himself acting as an assistant coach alongside Kamal Singh for the RCHS girls varsity soccer team, and now alongside Rico Novoa for the RCHS boys varsity soccer team, and has continued coaching soccer for the last 16 years. Once his 3 older children Julian, Jiovanni, and Jimena were old enough to start play recreational soccer, Jose has been the Head Coach for each of their teams while with WSSC. His oldest son Julian ventured into play competitive soccer with the newly established West Sacramento Competitive Soccer league, and Jose has been an assistant coach alongside Guillermo “Memo” Villegas Sr. since 2018. Jose has also been an acting volunteer Board Member for West Sacramento Soccer Club since 2010.

Jose is dedicated coach who is passionate about player development and creating future opportunities for all players with varying socio-economic backgrounds. He is a proud resident of West Sacramento and is looking forward to continuing the advancement of soccer in the community that he loves.  

RC Boys soccer program is excited to have Charlie on staff. We consistently pull from his knowledge, experiences and his passion for the game that he shares with the players and staff. 

Coaching Experience: (16 years combined: various levels from 2009-present)

Recreational Soccer: Head Coach - U4 – U14 girls/boys – 2014 to present.
Competitive Soccer: Assistant Coach - 2010 Boys, Arsenal - 2018 to present.
RCHS Boys Varsity Soccer: Assistant Coach - Fall seasons 2009-2010, 2010-2011, Winter Season 2023-2024 to present.

Guillermo “Memo” Villegas Jr. was born and raised in West Sacramento, California.  He has been coaching for the past 23 years. He has coached at the recreational, middle school, competitive, and high school levels. He still plays soccer for several adult leagues in the greater Sacramento Area. His passion for soccer stems from his childhood memories of staying active in soccer which kept him out of trouble. In his spare time he enjoys playing soccer, coaching, and tending to his many exotic pets.  He chose to coach at West Sacramento Competitive Soccer because he wants to give back to the kids in his hometown community. His philosophy about soccer and player development is “Focus on fundamentals not about winning when you’re young; the winning will come later.”

Our program is excited to have Memo on staff and  utilizing his vast knowledge and experience and different methodologies to teaching.

Credentials

• USSF Grassroots 9v9 In-person (2023) 

• USSF Class F License 7 (2017-Present)

• Grade 8 Referee Licensee (2019-Present)

Coaching Experience

• RC Boys Varsity assistant - Current

• RC Boys JV-Gold - (2023 - 2025)

• West Sacramento Competitive Soccer Club – Coach 2013B Red (Present)

• West Sacramento Competitive Soccer Club – Assistant Coach 2008 Galaxy Boys 2019-Present

• Riverbank Middle School – Coach Boys and Girls 2019-Present

• West Sacramento Competitive Soccer Club – Assistant Coach 2004 Girls (2019)

• West Sacramento Competitive Soccer Club - Coach 2008 Boys (2018)

• West Sacramento Recreational Soccer Club – 1999-2021 Various ages both girls and boys

• 23 years of experience coaching boys, girls of all ages

Rigo was born in San Jose, CA. However, he spent most of his childhood in Jalisco, Mexico until the age of 12. He migrated back to San Jose in 1994. Rigo found the love for the game at age 5 in Mexico and then upon his return to the states, found himself playing club soccer at various levels of play in the Bay Area. Rigo also played 4 years of High School soccer at Independence High School in San Jose, Ca (1996-2000).

After graduating HS, he moved to Sacramento in 2001, eventually making his way to West Sacramento in 2009. Rigo started his coaching career with West Sacramento Soccer Club as a head coach in 2009 where he spent 14 years coaching in various teams and various levels for the club. He began coaching High School soccer at RCHS in 2019 as the Head Coach for the JV Girls and is now making the switch to the Boys program to begin a new chapter. 

Rigo is an extremely dedicated and passionate coach who loves the game! He enjoys the competitiveness, the joy the game brings, and developing players on and off the field as well rounded players and human beings. He truly enjoys sharing his passion and love for this game.

The RC Boys soccer program is excited to have Coach Rigo on staff and looking forward to utilizing his knowledge and passion to push the program further.

Coaching Experience:

• Head coach - U12 girls (2009-2015) - Recreational

• Head coach - U16 girls (2015-2023) - Competitive

• Head coach - RCHS Girls JV (2019-2025)

• Head coach - RCHS Boys JV-Gold (2025-present)

Memo Sr. has been coaching for the West Sacramento Soccer Club for 30+ years, is a lifelong resident of the Broderick/West Sacramento area, he has played soccer all his life. He is currently coaching a 2010/2011 Boys Competitive team.

RC Boys soccer is excited to have Memo on staff utilizing his community ties, knowledge, and passion for the game that he has infused into this city of the last 30+ years!

Credentials

• National E License

• National F License

• West Sacramento Mayor's Civic Leadership Award for Service recipient (2023)

Coaching Experience

• West Sacramento Competitive Soccer Club – Coach 2010B Red (Present)

• West Sacramento Competitive Soccer Club - Coach 2008 Boys (2018)

• Westmore Oaks Middle School – Coach Boys and Girls (2019 - Present)

• West Sacramento Recreational Soccer Club – Various ages both girls and boys (28+ years)

• 28 years of experience coaching boys, girls of all ages at various playing, skill, and ambition levels

• Girls Varsity Head Coach River City High School (2000 - 2004)

• Boys Varsity Head Coach River City High School (2002 - 2006)