January 2021. He retired from soccer, studied business administration, and found a new adventure: “my passion in my new home, Ferretería EPA.”
Julio César Morales Vargas was a player who spent several years with the Cartago Fútbol Club team and finished his sports career with the University of Costa Rica team. He is currently part of the EPA staff in the Occupational Safety Area.
He spends his free time sharing his knowledge of the sport with promising young national soccer players; he is also in charge of an 11-a-side soccer team where he serves as head coach, developing youths between 14 and 18 years old.
How was your start and career in this sport?
“Since I was little, I liked soccer; I come from a soccer-loving family. My father was a professional player and I followed in his footsteps. At age 9, I started my journey in the minor league in my neighborhood in La Lima de Cartago. At 11, I moved to the Cartago Fútbol Club Minor League, where I went through all the categories until I managed to debut in the first division at 17 with Cartaginés. I also played with the Asociación Deportiva Ramonense and the University of Costa Rica in the first division. In the second division, I played with Municipal Paraíso.”
When did you decide to retire?
“At the age of 30, I made one of the most difficult decisions of my life: leaving the life of a soccer player, which was one of my passions. Thinking about the future and starting my career in Business Administration to gain experience led me to retire. At the same time, I found a new adventure and passion in my new home, Ferretería EPA, where I feel proud and happy to work.”
What is your motivation for teaching young people the importance of sports?
“My primary motivation is to promote sports as an option for holistic development alongside studies. It is also a way to keep young people away from any vice or situation that could divert them from their physical, emotional, and social well-being. Interacting with young people, listening to them, and advising them with my experiences in sports makes me feel good when I see the joy in each of them.”
Without a doubt, Julio reflects one of our values as Epanos: Perseverance.
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