When a player scores as many goals as John Tovar has this year, he’s going to receive attention whether he likes it or not.
Tovar, a graduate of Nova High School, has netted 14 goals this season for Barry University. He has also shattered the school’s single-season scoring record of 26 points held by Mickey Thorpe. Tovar’s 38 points rank him among the nation’s top 10 scorers in Division II.
However, it wasn’t Tovar’s scoring prowess that earned him attention earlier this season. Instead, it was his temper. Referees were quick to notice it was as explosive as his thunderous right foot.
On five separate occasions, Tovar has received a yellow card for aggressive behavior. In a game against Florida International University, he was given a red card and ejected after intentionally tackling a player.
Physically, Tovar doesn’t look the part of someone who likes to rumble. Only 5 feet 8 and 155 pounds with the boyish appearance of a high school student, Tovar appears too fragile to be so mean.
According to Barry coach Ian Martin, Tovar’s on-field demeanor is misleading. “He’s one of the nicest guys you could meet,” Martin said. “He’s actually very mild-mannered and a real gentleman. The situation with the yellow cards has been a team problem. We had 14 in three games. It’s a matter of immaturity, but something we’re outgrowing.”
Tovar claims to have learned his lesson. The five yellow cards resulted in Tovar sitting out a game against Lynn University earlier this month. With Tovar on the bench, Barry lacked scoring punch and lost 1-0.
Watching his team struggle in defeat was agonizing for Tovar. It was also an eye-opener.
“I knew I could have helped the team,” said Tovar, a sophomore. “I knew I had to stop getting those yellow cards.”
He hasn’t been carded since. But the goals keep coming.
Tovar’s prolific scoring has been a surprise to just about everyone. As a freshman, Tovar scored just one goal. He remembers his freshman year as one where he took a physical pounding from players bigger and stronger than he had seen in high school.
“I came prepared to play this season, but yeah, I’m surprised,” said Tovar, a native of Bogota, Colombia. “I was expecting to score a few goals and assists, but I didn’t think I would be breaking records and stuff.”
Those who saw him play in high school probably aren’t shocked. As a senior, Tovar led Nova to the state Class 3A championship game before losing. Tovar scored 23 goals and had 11 assists that season. He was the key factor in shocking postseason upsets of Broward powers St. Thomas and Cardinal Gibbons.
Martin recruited Tovar after watching him play in the state semifinal game against Tampa Jesuit.
“Here was a player with flair and tremendous balance,” Martin said. “I could see he was very hard to knock off the ball and had a knack for scoring goals.”
That knack may have been inherited from two uncles who played professionally in Bogota. Tovar grew up playing soccer nearly non-stop on the streets of the Colombian capital.
“My mother would call me to come eat dinner, but I wouldn’t go,” Tovar said. “So she would tell me to eat the soccer ball.”
This season, Tovar has been gobbling up Barry’s opponents. Last Sunday, Tovar scored in Barry’s 2-1 upset of the University of Tampa, the No. 1-ranked team in NCAA Division II. The victory upped Barry’s record to 10-4-1 overall and 4-0 in the Sunshine State Conference.
“I don’t care so much about the scoring as long as we keep on winning,” Tovar said. “If you keep winning, everything else comes.”
