Adrian Gonzalez’s story begins on the crowded streets of Guadalajara, Mexico, where soccer was more than just a game.
“I grew up loving the game, being very passionate about it. In my town, everybody played soccer on the streets, on the school fields,” Gonzalez said.
From those early pick-up matches, Gonzalez rose to play professionally in both Mexico and the United States, before finally discovering a new calling as a coach. Today, as the women’s head soccer coach at North Lake College for 17-years, he channels that same boyhood passion into guiding young athletes toward their own dreams of playing for college and beyond.
At age 14, Gonzalez was recruited to join the youth academy of Club Deportivo Guadalajara, widely known as Chivas, one of the most respected programs in Mexico. Just three years later, he signed a professional contract in Mexico’s second division.
At 23, his career took him to San Francisco, where he played for eight years in various leagues, with teams including the California Jaguars and Sacramento Geckos.
Yet even as his playing days wound down, the game would not let him go.
“I was not planning to become a coach. It just came naturally. After finishing playing, I got the opportunity to help teenagers, and because I still had the passion, I wanted to stay involved,” Gonzalez said.
Coaching became his next chapter. Gonzalez began working with youth players and earned National C, B, A and eventually professional licenses from the U.S. Soccer Federation. In 2008, he accepted the head coaching position for the women’s team at North Lake College before the merger with Dallas College.
Nearly two decades later, he continues to lead the program, shaping the lives of student-athletes both on and off the field.
His philosophy emphasizes possession-based soccer; passing, movement and patience until opportunities appear. He further emphasizes the importance of staying motivated, encouraging his players to give their best effort while on the field.
“I want my team to have possession of the ball, build from the back and keep passing until we find a way to break through,” Gonzalez explains.
Part of what has kept Gonzalez at North Lake for so long is the sense of belonging he feels here. He describes the college not only as a workplace, but as a family.
“For me, coming every day here is like home. I get along with all the coaches, with people in admissions, with people in different departments and it’s just like a family. So, every day, it’s a good feeling to be here,” he said. That atmosphere of support and connection has made North Lake the place where his passion for the sport can thrive alongside his commitment to his players.
Yet for Gonzalez, success is not measured only in trophies. Though he has proudly celebrated the Metro Athletic Conference regular season titles in 2008, 2010 and 2011 and coached standout All-Americans like Patricia Del Baji in 2010 and Leah Santiago in 2023, what he values most is the opportunity to impact young lives.
He reminds his players that academics come first.
“Number one thing is they come here to go to school. We want them to leave with a good GPA so they can transfer and play at a four-year school,” he said.
For Gonzalez, the true measure of success has been sustaining a community of soccer at North Lake across constant change.
As he puts it, “In these 17 years, I have seen so many students come and go. Sometimes they’re here for two years, and sometimes only one. It’s hard to build consistency because every season you’re restarting. But we always try to create a good community of love and passion for the game. That’s what keeps me motivated–to build strong teams and to bring North Lake a national championship. I’ve been to Nationals, but haven’t won it. The highest we’ve reached is third place, and I want to bring North Lake a championship.”
Now also a longtime coach with FC Dallas at the Elite Clubs National League, one of the top youth soccer leagues in the U.S., Gonzalez continues to spend nearly every day surrounded by soccer.
When he is not coaching at North Lake or with FC Dallas, he is often at home watching matches on television or cheering for his own children, who play as well. It is this total devotion to the game that defines him.
From a boy in Mexico chasing a ball on the streets to a mentor in Dallas shaping future generations, Gonzalez has lived a life where soccer is not just a sport—it is identity, family, and passion, and North Lake has been the perfect home to keep that passion alive.
