Jaime Gutierrez (Aurora, Colo./Aurora West College Prep Academy) really can't see the future.
 
Or can he?
 
Training on his own Thursday, Gutierrez was working on developing his movements and finishes after getting the ball with his back to the net.
 
On Sunday, Gutierrez capped MSU Denver's weekend by scoring an overtime golden goal – of course with his back to the net -- on a back-heel shot when a loose corner kick landed behind him.
 
Seriously? If individual work always translated to in-game production that seamlessly, every soccer field in the country would be in constant use.
 
"I was focusing on playing with my back to the goal," Gutierrez said, laughing. "But it wasn't necessarily back-heel, more turning and shooting."
 
"There have been a lot of situations in games where I've found myself receiving with my back turned. So I was working on better options to play out of those situations."
 
The Roadrunners reaped the rewards from the extra repetitions.
 
After scoring a goal and getting two assists in a 5-0 win over Adams State on Friday, Gutierrez had both goals in the 2-1 Sunday victory over Colorado State University-Pueblo.
 
"He's really diligent about his training," MSU Denver coach Jeremy Tittle said. "This past week, he was out training on his own. He does this regularly. He's a really student of the game who wants to perfect his craft. We've got high ambitions for him over the next four years."
 
Now Gutierrez, the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference's offensive player of the week, will see what he can do for an encore this weekend.
 
Metropolitan State University of Denver (6-6 overall, 5-3 and fifth in the RMAC) plays host to South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (2-8-2, 1-5-2 and tied for ninth) at 7:30 p.m. Friday, then has a key matchup with NCAA Division II No. 9 Colorado School of Mines (11-1, 8-0) on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
 
With four goals and four assists for 12 points, Gutierrez leads MSU Denver in assists and points and is tied for the team lead in goals.
 
Creative and artistic with the ball, he brings an eclectic soccer background to his electric on-field talent.
 
Born in Aurora before living in Mexico for about five years, Gutierrez remembers playing soccer in the streets of Juarez as a youth.
 
After moving back to Aurora after completing first grade, he eventually played for multiple high-level club teams over the years, trained with Club America for three weeks in Mexico City at age 15, and spent some time dominating the high school ranks at Aurora West College Preparatory School, scoring 23 goals in nine games during an injury-shortened junior season.
 
"It did help me gain a lot of confidence," Gutierrez said of his high school experience. "I learned that I could score goals if I wanted to, not just because it wasn't against tough opponents but because I had a good touch on the ball, I could finish. So if I kept working on it, took the opportunities I could to score, and it would elevate my confidence. It let me know I could go on to another level and play well."
 
Gutierrez didn't play high school soccer last year, instead playing for the United States Soccer Development Academy's Real Colorado team, for whom he scored four goals in 21 games.
 
"It was a different level from the other teams I've played on, so it was a very good learning opportunity for me," Gutierrez said. "(Assistant coach) Cody Stratton really helped me with my positioning and my movements off the ball."
 
Gutierrez thought about playing a second season for the D.A. team – essentially the highest level of club soccer in the country – before eventually deciding on MSU Denver.
 
But it took a while.
 
"Real Colorado is very big on getting their players to the next level, whether it's college or whatever," Gutierrez said. "They would tell us to start e-mailing coaches. But I was never doing that. I was just playing, never focused on schools, didn't really know what I wanted to do.
 
"At the end of the season I finally figured out I had messed up. Nobody was really talking to me. Coach Tittle had asked (Real Colorado coach) Danny (Bills) about me and I got his number. We started talking and he invited me to train. I liked it, but I decided I didn't want to come here. I was going to stay another year with Real Colorado and take a gap year from school. But by the end of the season I didn't think that team was going to be my best option.
 
"So I called coach Tittle and asked him if there were any spots available, or if there was anything I could do to get on the team. He told me he was willing to give me a chance if I was willing to work hard. And I've been working really hard to earn my spot on the team."
 
The freshman's hard work is evident. Not only does his put in as much time as possible working on his own, he also works hard on his defense, harassing defenders trying to initiate their team's offense.
 
"He's a two-way player," Tittle said. "He's said he likes to be the first line of defending. He takes pride in his work rate in doing that."
 
He also sharpens his skills whenever he can.
 
"I like to be with the ball," he said. "My dad helps a lot, he's a big fan and he'll ask if I want to go get a couple kicks in, practice shots, practice my movement. I'm very thankful for that. When he can't, or when I'm here and I have time, I like to get extra finishes in, extra touches, practice my dribbling, my acceleration, because I need it and it's helpful. I just want to be the best I can."
 
With his past background of high-level soccer and his penchant for hard work, playing soccer professionally is a natural goal for Gutierrez.
 
"That's something I've wanted ever since I've been able to think about my future," he said. "When I came here (to MSU Denver), I saw it as a step towards reaching my goals. A lot of players in the U.S. go from the collegiate level to the professional level, whether it's the MLS or USL, or in another country. There are opportunities and I want to pursue them. I want to reach another level, first division in a country."
 
First though, the Roadrunners are working on moving up higher in the first division of the RMAC table. With 15 points, they trail fourth-place Westminster (5-2-1) by one point and third-place Regis (5-1-2) by two.
 
"We're just focusing on one at a time," Gutierrez said. "So South Dakota Mines is first. We've played them before (a 1-0 win) and we know they are a tough opponent. They play hard and they like to play long balls. We have to come our prepared, knowing what we already know about them. We have to try to put them away as quick as we can because we've been missing important opportunities to score in games recently."