SOME MIGHT DESCRIBE the sequence of events that placed Alex Ramirez in the position as Servite High School’s new soccer coach as a mere fortuitous coincidence.
Ramirez is certain there was a much higher calling at play, that God closed a door and opened new doors, guiding the longtime coach to exactly where he needed to be, which is to help form young men into “faith filled, intellectual, confident leaders with knowledge, wisdom and character for success in college and life,” as stated as part of Servite’s mission.
A short time before accepting the position at Servite, where Ramirez will coach soccer and teach English, he had started the process of converting to Catholicism.
He is currently taking “Rite of Cristian Initiation of Adults” classes at his family’s home parish of St. Edward the Confessor Catholic Church in Dana Point.
His conversion to Catholicism will be officially completed on Easter Sunday.
At about the same time, the husband and father of three, also made the choice to leave Savanna High School, where he served as the head soccer coach for 17 years, winning the Orange League Championship in 2024 and being named Orange League Coach of the Year.
While Ramirez was exposed to Catholicism through father, the religion wasn’t part his everyday life, he said.
His father grew up Catholic, as did his mother. But she converted to Protestantism before Ramirez was born.
“I grew up in a divorced family and with my mom’s side,” he shared,” and I grew up Protestant.”
Before Ramirez got married, he and his then future Jennifer, a lifelong Catholic, had agreed to be married in a Catholic Church and raise their Children in the Catholic faith.
SERVITE’S NEW SOCCER COACH ALEX RAMIREZ (CENTER) IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING TO CATHOLICISM. PHOTO COURTESY OF SERVITE HIGH SCHOOL
“I was comfortable with that,” he said. “I wanted them to have that relationship with God or that foundation of what faith can bring them.”
As he became involved in his children’s lives and attended Mass on Sundays, the calling to convert became more profound. Several months before coming to Servite, Ramirez had begun praying for wisdom.
Ramirez excelled during his 17 years at Savanah, serving in a variety of roles at Savanna as soccer and track & field coach, English and math teacher and athletic director.
For years, Ramirez had been trying to guide the Rebels to a league championship. Several teams had come close before the league title finally became a reality in the 2023-24 season.
“There was this piece of me where I always knew that one of my goals was to give these boys that nobody believed in something tangible,” Ramirez said. “And I was super proud of all those groups and all their coming up short against bigger competition. But then God had this miraculous moment where we were league champions against all odds.”
About a month after capturing the league title, Ramirez received a Reduction in Force notice, informing him that he would be let go at the end of the school year.
While the notice was rescinded, Ramirez had already made the decision to move on, not because of any ill will towards Savanna or the district.
“I knew this was God’s response to me,” Ramirez said. “He said, ‘You’ve done what you came here to do.”
When his wife heard about the opening for a soccer coach at Servite, Ramirez told her he had no chance of being hired.
The Friars have a storied history of winning CIF Southern Section titles and CIF State Regional titles, capturing both last season.
“I’d be good at that job, but they are never going to consider me,” he recalled saying.
With some slight prodding from his wife, Ramirez applied anyway.
“I came into the first interview, and I really loved what I saw,” he recalled. “How much care they put into this place, that they put into the Catholic side of their school. It was clear that it was very important in the process to hire someone who’s good for their boys athletically, but also in terms of formation.”
After his second interview, Servite athletic director Matthew Marrujo walked Ramirez to the statue of Mary and comforting her Jesus, situated in the school’s quad.
At the base of the statue, an inscription of the bible verse John 2:5 reads, “Do whatever He tells you.”
At that moment, Ramirez believed strongly that God was calling on him to guide young men at Servite.
“Every member of this school that I know who is working with kids is pulling in the same direction of trying to build faith-filled leaders,” he said. “To me, it was a mission alignment immediately. I love this place.”