Athlete of the Week: Alexis Gonzalez

Sophomore goalkeeper Alexis Gonzalez is pursuing a bachelor’s in criminal justice. Gonzalez graduated from IDEA Toros College Prep. He enjoys spending free time with family as well as listening to different types of music.

Q: What do you do for fun outside of soccer?

A: “I like to spend a lot of time with my family, especially with my new nephew that was just born.”

Q: What movies or shows do you like?

A: “I like a lot of action movies. ‘Fast Five’ is one of my favorite movies. Shows, ‘Outer Banks’ for sure, ‘All American,’ all those types of shows. 

Q: What kind of music do you like? 

A: “I listen to all types of music except rock. Country, I can listen to country any time. Latin music, rap, hip-hop, anything. Favorite artists? That’s a hard one. [I’m going to] go with [Jesus Ortiz Paz].

Q: Who is one of your role models?

A: “My dad for sure. He played, as well. [He] wasn’t a keeper, but he always pushed me to do my best. Thanks to him, I’m here where I am right now. I wouldn’t be here without him for sure.”

Q: What motivates you?

A: “All those young players in [Major League Soccer], that’s what motivates me, all those young players doing their debuts. That could be me one day. That’s what keeps on pushing me to do my best out here on the field, try to improve more every single day.”

Q: Would you want to keep playing soccer or do something with criminal justice?

A:. “For sure I want to keep playing soccer. That’s my No. 1 dream. That’s literally my No. 1 dream, that’s my plan A and always will be my plan A. There’s nothing else that would top that. I want to be in the [Major League Soccer].”

Q: When did you begin playing soccer?

A: “I honestly started at a late age. It was at 9 years old [when] my dad introduced me to it. I fell in love from there. I wasn’t a goalkeeper, but I still ended up in the goal trying to protect my team from getting scored on.”

Q: What do you like about UTRGV?

A: “My guys. My teammates. I love those guys. That’s what I love the most, spending time with them, messing around with them off the field doing our thing, working hard inside the field. That’s what I love about UTRGV.”

Q: Do you have a fun fact about yourself?

A: “I love playing basketball. That’s my next thing. If I wasn’t a soccer player, I feel like I would be a basketball player for sure. I never did [play in high school], but I would join tournaments with my friends and we would have fun there outside of school.”

–Compiled by Jose Medina