10/25/2026
🥐Learning beyond the field, one puerquito at a time!
Our 2010 and 2008 girls got a little taste of tradition during their recent Merced United Leadership Academy (MULA) visit to Panadería Guadalajara! 🇲🇽❤️
Coach Jaime welcomed the girls and shared his family’s journey, from their roots in Guadalajara, México, to opening their bakery in Atwater and eventually growing into their current location in Merced. He talked about how his grandfather passed down the art of making traditional pan dulce to his father and aunts, keeping those family recipes and traditions alive across generations.
And of course, we couldn’t leave without making some pan dulce ourselves! 👀 The girls got their hands in the dough, making their own puerquitos while learning about the patience, skill, and hard work that goes into something many of us grew up enjoying. But there was a little more to it than just making something sweet! ❤️
For many of our families, pan dulce is more than a treat. It’s part of our culture, our memories, and those moments spent around the table with family. It was a great opportunity to remind our girls that health and well-being aren’t just about what we eat, but also about the traditions, relationships, and sense of community that bring us together. Enjoying the foods we grew up with and learning to make balanced choices can go hand in hand.
Hugo also shared some great advice about working hard and gaining experience while you’re young. We even found ourselves swapping stories about working at flea markets, while Coach Eselso shared memories of his high school job at Domino’s. 😂 Those conversations eventually opened the door to discussing future internships and opportunities for the girls to gain work experience at the panadería as they get closer to their senior year.
Thank you Coach Jaime and Hugo for opening your doors and sharing a piece of their family’s story with us. Both have been part of the Merced United coaching family for years, and it’s special to see that same commitment to our youth carry over beyond the soccer field.
De la cancha a la panadería, seguimos aprendiendo!🤓
