Jonathan Ruiz has played or coached soccer since he was a kid.

After moving to the area a few years ago and taking a job as a math teacher at Salisbury High School, he decided to take a break from coaching and settle in a little. That was until Barry Frick left the job as Salisbury’s boys soccer head coach.

Friends and colleagues went to work on Ruiz to apply for the position. His love for coaching took a higher priority that relaxing.

Ruiz has his team off to a 1-0-1 start this season with a win over Northern Lehigh and a 1-1 tie against Saucon Valley.

“It’s been great since I started,” Ruiz said. “It takes time and a lot of energy, sure, but I really enjoy it. The guys have been super committed and that’s what I asked from them. If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it really well.”

The Falcons had high turnouts for optional workouts over the summer and have hit the ground running since the preseason. Ruiz credits not just his soccer experience with players of all ages and skill levels, but his teaching background for helping him as a coach.

“That helps a lot with the development side,” Ruiz noted. “I see a lot of kids who don’t recognize that you can’t do the same things with 15-year old kids that you do with 10 or 12-year olds. The approach has to change, and teaching has allowed me to learn that and adapt in my coaching.”

In the opening win over Northern Lehigh, the Falcons were dominating before giving up a goal on a corner and falling behind 1-0. Soren Ruiz fed Brian Soita for the tying goal and then Soita turned into the assist man when he got the ball to Lloyd Johannessen for the go-ahead goal with 15 minutes left to play.

The Bulldogs fought to tie the game, but Salisbury’s defense held strong.

Against the Panthers, some miscommunication in the backfield led to an early goal for Saucon Valley, but Salisbury dominated play. It took until about 10 minutes into the second half before the Ruiz-to-Soita connection hit again and the Falcons tied the game.

“We played some great soccer, just didn’t complete the final pass and goal,” said Ruiz. “We should have been awarded a goal but unfortunately, a wrong offside call was made. That being said, we needed to do better in final third and make the game a bit more distant.”