Columbus North’s Juan Jose Salcedo Calderon tends the goal during warmups before playing Columbus East at the BCSC Soccer Complex, Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023.
Paige Grider | For The Republic
When Columbus North made a run to the Class 3A state final last year, the Bull Dogs had an exchange student from Germany who split time in goal.
But with Max Grewe moving back to Germany and Oscar Ballinas, who he split time with, graduating, North needed a new goalkeeper. Juan Jose Salcedo Calderon, who moved in from Colombia this summer, has filled that role.
“The team starts with the goalkeeper, I believe,” said North assistant coach David Green, who works with the goalkeepers. “We often have players come in from out of town, out of state or even out of country, and we keep hoping that they’re good. A lot of times, they didn’t pan out. Last year, we had a couple of good goalkeepers, one from Germany, and this year, when Juan Jose came in, it was a blessing. He’s technically sound, he’s strong, he’s knowledgeable. He has that little bit of cockiness you need as a goalkeeper to scold defenders to be in the right spot at the right time at the right effort.”
This season, Salcedo Calderon has helped the Bull Dogs to a 9-3-3 record and No. 10 state ranking in 3A. The junior will help lead North into its own sectional this week, beginning with Tuesday’s 8 p.m. opening-round match against Greenwood.
“I think I’ve had a good season, but at the same time, I’ve missed some goals,” Salcedo Calderon said. “I have to face that for sectional and regional because we can’t lose.”
Salcedo Calderon started playing soccer when he was 11 years old. He mostly played center back his first couple of years before moving to goalkeeper.
This summer, Salcedo Calderon moved with his family to Columbus for his father’s job at Cummins.
“The opportunities that I have here are different, and it’s different type of play from Chile or Colombia,” Salcedo Calderon said. “You need to be strong if you want to play here. In Colombia, it’s faster than here. It’s easier to make decisions here because I have more time.“
The good news for the Bull Dogs is that unlike exchange students, who are here for only one year, Salcedo Calderon’s move was permanent, and he expects to be back next year.
“He’s made our other goalkeepers better, he’s made our defense better and he and I continuously talk to each other about the mental part of the game about him getting the defenders involved more with themselves and him and themselves with each other and the whole back third of the field,” Green said. “When he starts the offense, he likes to work on his weak foot to kick long, even though he’s good right-footed.”
“J.J. is an asset to the team for sure,” North head coach Andy Glover added. “He and all the goalkeepers work hard regularly with coach Green, and he’s just been able to jump right in and positively affect the performance of the team.”
Salcedo Calderon has some lofty goals for when he is finished playing for the Bull Dogs.
“I want to play in MLS,” Salcedo Calderon said. “If I don’t make the MLS, I will play in college.”
