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The following tribute was compiled by Greg Mettler, a longtime coach of 17 years in travel ball who currently serves as the Co-Recruiting Coordinator in the Firecrackers organization.
In softball, and life in general, we run across a variety of people. Some are larger than life while others quietly go about their days barely noticed. Then there are the special ones, the ones that you never realize the impact they had on people until they are gone.
On February 9th, the softball world lost someone special like that… a father, husband, coach and friend who impacted so many lives but never once craved the limelight.
Victor Juan was a much-loved Firecracker coach who passed suddenly and unexpectedly earlier this month and lived a life that impacted many from coast to coast.
Vic—who lived in his hometown of Norwalk, California—began coaching softball eight-plus years ago including time with the So Cal Athletics and Firecrackers organizations and at Norwalk High where his daughter Leilani attends.
He was married to the love of his life, Dava Grable-Juan, since 2010.
Though I only had the pleasure knowing Vic for the past year and a half, I knew upon hearing the horrible news and speaking with so many people that knew and loved Vic that we had to tell his story and celebrate his life in a way that exemplified the way Vic lead his life.
We had to let a few of those, whose life Vic impacted, tell their stories of Vic….
Here are their heart-felt comments…
*****
Tony Medina
It was rare to see Vic out at the ballfields or working clinics without seeing him with one of his best friends, Tony Medina.
Here are Tony’s thoughts on his longtime friend…
Vic and I met about eight years ago when he would bring his daughter, Leilani, out to my fielding clinics. Lei was just getting started in 10U.
While speaking with Vic, I noticed right off the bat that we were very different—in fact, we were opposites! The biggest difference was Vic was super quiet and I am quite talkative but, as we got to know each other, it was evident that we shared like values and similar ideology when it came to coaching and leadership in girls’ softball.
Sharing a love for the sport, we realized how important and how driven we were about being positive, impactful coaches while making sure we maintained fun environments and delivered good meaningful experiences for our players.
One of my favorite times with Vic was when we decided to start a 10U travel team and coach together. I was still coaching my daughter in 16U and was enjoying that and now we were adding a 10U team and Vic would have his first experience coaching his daughter.
We had a great year and became closer friends as we got to know each other’s families. We spent a lot of time together, even beyond the field, and attended each other’s family events and even traveled together.
That year, I introduced Vic to several of my closest friends and coaches. People immediately took a likening to him as he was a very giving, kind and loving spirit that attracted people.
Vic and his daughter Lei would regularly participate and help at my local skills clinics. Vic was excited to see how Lei was growing in her skills and as an athlete. Our team ended up having a great year; in tournaments, the team placed high regularly and we became a Top 3 finisher at Nationals.
Without question, the big contributor to the success of the team was the positive and fun environment Vic was so instrumental in creating.
Following Nationals, Sue Enquist gave me a call to say how evident it was after witnessing Vic with our team that the team’s success largely stemmed from his genuine care and leadership.
There are so many things I will miss about my friend, my colleague and peer.
I am so grateful to have experienced his creative talent, energy, passion and his love for developing young softball athletes. With Vic, the players always came first. That is something I truly admire about him and could never forget.
*****
Amelia Cervantes
When Vic and Tony Medina joined the Firecrackers, like everything else he did, Vic was all in, becoming an integral part of the organization by working on the team’s social media and taking part in Firecracker podcasts.
In one podcast, Vic related a story of a young softball player from North Carolina, Amelia Cervantes, #62 aka “AC,” who was kind of enough to share her story meeting Vic.
Coach Vic was one of the nicest coaches I’ve ever met. He didn’t know me except for an introduction from Coach Tony Medina five minutes prior but allowed me to go play in a game he was coaching at that time.
He gave me a moment on that field which changed my view of the Firecrackers forever. I had met Coach Tony (Rico) and Coach Heath (Miller) at a camp before, but I’d never seen how any of the Firecracker teams played together or how their coaches interacted with them. There was a family dynamic between everyone that made the biggest impact on me when I was there.
Coach Vic altered my mindset in more ways than one. The belief he showed me in less than an hour’s time, changed the player I am when I step onto the softball field. If he had enough confidence to throw me into a game of high school players (which I didn’t know at the time), I knew I needed to produce.
I call that day a game-changer because, from that point on, I’ve carried a level of self-assurance that wasn’t there before. The next day I got to get to know him and his daughter better and you just knew you were blessed to meet them.
He continued to reach out on social media with encouragement and could’ve easily forgotten about that unknown girl from North Carolina but he didn’t.
I will forever look up to him, not just as a coach but as a mentor and friend. I truly believe heaven gained an angel and one day hope to pass on the same impact he had on me to someone else. “
*****
Jerry Painter
As stated earlier, Vic’s touch was coast to coast even crossing the Pacific to the Hawaiian Islands.
Vic and Tony were invited to Maui and that is where they met Jerry Painter, then of the Pacific Pride… here are Jerry’s thoughts and memories of Vic….
As I reflect on the recent passing of my Brother Victor Juan, there are many reasons to celebrate his life while on Earth.
Vic was such a great human being who loved his family (Dava & Lei) and his friends who surrounded him in the softball community.
My part in Vic’s life started years ago after Brother Tony Medina introduced me when a very good softball and lifelong friend of mine passed away with similar circumstances.
In many ways, Victor reminded me of my friend. I was thankful to have met someone so genuine and willing to help those in the game of softball on Maui and that eventually spread out to the other islands in Hawaii. So, for myself, I consider Tony and Vic the OG’s and Ambassadors of Hawaii, really exposing fun & love through softball clinics.
But really, Vic was more than just a face of the game of softball.
I could always sense when I was fortunate to be around him, that he cared for others and was always willing to lend a hand to those in need. When I needed help, he made himself available. He always made time for those that needed advice.
It was apparent that he always was a student of the game and a great example to others by showing his love for his family as he navigated alongside the game that played an important aspect in his life.
I will definitely remember all the time and conversations that we spent together here in the islands and on the mainland. While he physically isn’t here on Earth, he will always be in our minds & hearts. I’m grateful to have known such a special individual.
God Bless and Aloha to Dava, Leilani & Ohana. 🙏❤️🤙🏽”
*****
Heath Miller
Traversing the country again, we hear the thoughts of Coach Heath Miller, who began his friendship with Vic a few years ago.
He talks about how Vic was always there to help and guide him as he was building his softball teams in North Carolina and navigating the crazy softball world…
Vic was just an all-around good dude and pretty much exactly what you would want from a friend.
The first time we went to California, he was waiting for us at the field with two signed Rachel Garcia balls for our girls. They were completely over the moon, and you could tell how excited he was for them. It is always a memory they talk about every time we head West.
That whole week Vic sent text messages about restaurants, shops, beaches, etc. that we were near or needed to hit up, just to make sure we had the best trip possible.
Once we got back and I started running DUP Carolina, Vic and I would talk frequently about social media. He pretty much took me under his wing in how to create the most bang and buzz on social media. The little intricacies of that aspect.
And then, as it grew and started to thrive, you could see how proud he was… not for himself, having helped me get it there, but just for me. He was just genuinely happy to see me doing well.
That was pretty much Vic in a nutshell: he always had a smile on his face when he saw you! He could deliver advice or even give you advice on how to handle a tough situation, while still wearing that same smile.
Vic definitely left a lasting impression on many and will be greatly missed.
*****
Bill Allende
Vic was truly part of the Firecracker family, something he embraced with a love for the game, the players and organization.
Even before he was a Firecracker, he was seemingly destined to find a home with the FC family based on the memories of his friend and fellow Firecracker coach Bill Allende of Firecrackers – Rico and Firecrackers Hawaii…
I met Vic at one of Tony Medina’s clinics about five or six years ago. Vic was being Vic… helping out in any way he could: setting up nets, retrieving balls from the nets, an extra fungo man for the groups, etc.
One thing I did notice about Vic was his everlasting smile. “Smiles for miles” whenever I would see Vic! That’s what I’ll remember the most… that smile.
Vic was most proud when he was asked to join the Firecrackers – Rico group on special assignment as a media guru. When I joined the group in August of 2020, there was Vic walking in from the parking lot at Los Alamitos High School with that big smile on his face.
He said to me, “I made it!”
We both smiled and hugged each other because we were genuinely happy for each other. He loved being part of Firecrackers – Rico. He wore that with. again, a smile.
Vic was also one of the team Philippines Triple Crown Sports International coaches and couldn’t hide his happiness there, either. Smiles all over practice, games, dinners, or just hanging out.
Vic was all about his community, too, in giving back to the high school as a coach and mentor to so many kids. Vic will be missed by so many,
I am one of those that will never forget his kindness and love for the people and the game he loved so much.
We all lost a loving soul the day we lost Vic. He was a great man, friend, coach and loving father and husband.
*****
Tony Rico
Firecrackers head Tony Rico welcomed Vic to the Firecrackers family only a few years ago but he saw right away the impact a coach and person like Vic could have.
He summed up the loss of Vic with these thoughts…
Every now and then a death hits us differently than others. I’ve come to the conclusion that the more love that person generated the more it hurts when they are gone.
Losing Vic hurts… it hurts bad.
Our sport does not reward people like him enough. He made people smile with his smile and he shared nothing but love with everyone he met.
Our hearts pour out to Dava, Lei and the rest of his family.
*****
Greg Mettler
Vic, I only knew you for a short time, but you will always hold a place in my heart.
People whose lives you touched were so willing to share their stories of you, we could have filled page after page.
Your smile, your undeniable love for your wife and daughter and the limitless energy and passion you gave to this game and to the players will truly be missed.
As you look down upon us from Heaven, know that your family is surrounded by love and support from the softball community. Goodspeed my friend, until we meet again.
If you wish to donate to the Juan family, a GoFundMe page has been set up to help: Vic Juan GoFundMe