TAFT, Calif. (KERO) — What was thought to be a championship ring ceremony for the Taft Union High School varsity soccer team turned into a surprise trip to the FIFA World Cup.
On Monday, Taft Union High School players gathered expecting to celebrate their CIF championship season by receiving rings. Instead, the team learned they and their coaches would be heading to Los Angeles to attend a World Cup match thanks to California Resources Corporation.
The team will attend the June 15 match between Iran and New Zealand.
Junior Carlos Bejarano, a center midfielder and striker for Taft, said the announcement caught the team completely off guard.
“I’m gonna be honest — I thought we were just getting our Valley rings,” Bejarano said. “I didn’t expect everything that’s happening now. It was a shocker.”
Bejarano said he initially could hardly believe the news.
“I was shocked. I was like, ‘There’s no way, this has to be a dream,’” he said.
For the junior, the opportunity means more than attending one of the world’s largest sporting events. He said it represents another milestone for a team that built strong bonds during its championship run.
“It feels amazing,” Bejarano said. “We created a brotherhood between us. We told ourselves we wouldn’t break it, even after the season ended. We’ll stick together no matter what.”
He added that experiencing the event together — especially alongside graduating seniors — makes the moment even more meaningful.
“It’s for sure a memory we’ll all carry with us, even after high school,” Bejarano said. “Especially for them, I’m very happy they get to experience this.”
Coach Roberto Gonzalez said the World Cup trip reinforces a message he hopes his players carry with them beyond soccer.
“We always say, ‘Make what’s never meant to happen, happen,’” Gonzalez said. “We’re such a small town, but we made it happen — and we can keep doing that.”
Gonzalez said seeing his team earn a CIF title and now attend a World Cup match feels like a dream for the coaching staff as well.
“Very, very, very excited,” he said. “It’s also a dream come true for me too — I’ve never been to one.”
California Resources Corporation also surprised youth at the Boys and Girls Club in Bakersfield with World Cup tickets as part of the initiative.
CRC CEO Francisco Leon told students his own childhood experiences in youth programs shaped his path and inspired him to create opportunities for local youth.
Born in Mexico and raised near the Tijuana-San Diego border, Leon said he crossed into the United States daily to attend school and found inspiration in community programs and after-school activities.
“One of the things that brings back fond memories from when I was about your age is experiencing what community centers and organizations like the Boys & Girls Club were all about,” Leon said. “There’s nothing comparable to what you have here.”
Speaking to students, Leon encouraged them to think beyond present circumstances and envision their future careers.
“When I look into this audience, I think of myself when I was younger,” Leon said. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do or where I wanted to be in life. But it started with experiences, with asking, ‘What’s possible?’”
Leon, now the president and CEO of CRC, told students that success in fields ranging from education and engineering to energy is achievable.
“Not many kids from Mexico come to the U.S. and become CEOs — but it’s possible,” Leon said. “It’s about setting that vision.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup opens June 11 with Mexico facing South Africa, with matches scheduled throughout California, including games in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.
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