Category Archives: Family

coronavirus, Family, FC Porto, Learning

Farewell Johan…and happy B’day…from mom

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Saying goodbye was not what we expected, but it was definitely an unforgettable event…

We first dropped you off at the airport on Tuesday with your corresponding negative COVID-19 test result in hand. You carried a folder with copies of every possible document you may need to travel to Portugal but were we in for a surprise. We walked up to the AA counter 2 hours early ready to check in your bag, walk through security and board that flight to Madrid with ample time. We were welcomed with a bit inexperienced AA agent who was unsure what was required to be allowed to enter that country.

To be fair, we are living unprecedented times, where rules and restrictions are changing daily. After consulting with multiple colleagues, a supervisor, and an hour and a half later, she denied you check-in.  It wasn’t the end of the world, right? We could always try again the next day or wait for the travel ban to be lifted. How long was that going to take? 2 weeks? 2 months? We wanted to help you start the pre-season on-time. FC Porto was very supportive and willing to issue us another ticket as needed; however, we felt that waiting was not an option especially with the uncertainty and number of COVID cases rising in the US.

We left Terminal D calling the Portuguese Consulate offices in Houston and Washington DC and leaving voice mails. Where could we get the documentation needed to let you board that plane? What else could we do? We knew other players in your situation had recently traveled back to Europe. That made us think about another option: find a different airline. Delta had a couple of options with two layovers the next day and so we turned around and drove back to the airport to get to Terminal E.

The terminal was very quiet, no travelers in sight.  We approached the Delta counter where we found two very helpful and friendly customer service agents. We explained your situation and they immediately checked the US Embassy in Portugal website with specific requirements/restrictions to travel during this COVID-19 pandemic.  According to such website, the only requirement was to present proof of a negative COVID-19 test conducted within the last 72 hours. You had such document along with an employment contract, so we decided to move forward and purchase the ticket for the next day.  We wanted to make sure everything was approved and cleared in their system so you would not encounter any issues the following day. The agents, one of them a Portugal native, confirmed you had the correct documentation, so we purchased the ticket, called the back office for approval and gave you 2 boarding passes (DFW to ATL and ATL to CDG).

We drove back home hopeful, but doubtful at the same time. The flight was not direct to Europe, you had 2 layovers before reaching your final destination. Would you get “stuck” in one of them? Would you be sent back home? At the end of the day, we were happy to have you with us one more night. We stopped to get some food (Chik-Fil-A) and got ready for movie night (as usual). You didn’t’ even unpack as we had to be at the airport at 9 AM the following morning so you got one more chance to put Chuy to sleep that night and I got one more chance to see you wake up in the morning.

One last chicken sandwich in the US

We arrived at Terminal E at 9 AM, boarding passes in hand and several additional documents (translated to English) just in case. Since you already had your boarding passes, you really only needed to check-in your bag one-hour prior to departure and head directly to the gate. With our experience the previous day, we decided to arrive early and I am glad we did because we were in for another surprise.

Chuy is going to miss you!

The lady at the counter proceeded to call the back office as we explained what transpired the previous day. Once again, they requested an official document from the consulate or an official governmental office giving you permission to enter Portugal. The call ends without the approval needed, but the customer service rep continues consulting others and talking to us. The agent who helped us the day before who was fluent in Portuguese was not working at this time. They see the ticket was purchased the previous day and a call was made for approval, but no notes were put into the system with the details of such conversations.

so we try again, we show the documents from the embassy stating that “professionals with employment contracts are allowed to travel”. We also found the ID number of the immigration application for residency submitted to the SEF (border control government agency). That along with the documents FC Porto provided us ultimately convinced them we had what we needed so they called the back office one last time. It is now 10 AM, 60 minutes before the flight to Atlanta departs.

Finally, after a lot of paper shuffling and pacing back and forth, approval to board was granted. It was 10:24 AM and the flight left was leaving at 11:05 AM, they checked in your bag, gave you a boarding pass and wished you luck. I was standing with you at the counter, dad was with Joana just behind us with your other bag. You quickly grabbed your back and rushed to security walking along side dad as he gave you some final instructions and things you might need. Joana and I are behind you, I am looking at you walking away with your folder, documents and passport in one hand your water bottle and bag in the other and I’m just praying you don’t drop or lose anything.

It all happened so fast, there was no time for any pictures this time, we just waved goodbye. I remember you looked back at us and said, “Thanks for everything, I love you guys very much” and as you’re zig-zagging through the ropes towards the TSA agent, I just wanted to run and hug you, but you made me promise not to cry so I let you go. You had enough things to worry about in the next 24 hours. Besides, I was grateful to have had you another night, or really to have had you for three full months. It was time for you to return and you were more than ready.

30 minutes prior to departure @ DFW Airport

This was definitely a learning experience for all of us. One that dad thought he should share with other families. It would have been more convenient for us to wait for the EU borders to open and have you stay home a bit longer but that was risky. As a parent, that would have been the easy choice, but at this point, we are experts at making difficult decisions that we know will ultimately benefit your long term goals. Lesson for up and coming football parents.

It’s hard to believe you have been in Portugal for a year now. You left right before your 18th birthday and today you have yet another birthday away from home. May this last teenage year get you one step closer to your dreams. Happy 19th birthday son!!! (Feliz cumpleaños mi niño)

coronavirus, Family, FC Porto, Learning

Does your player need to travel to Europe during the pandemic? Things to know

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It was about a year ago that Johan left to go on trials to Europe. What a difference a year makes. Back then, airports were packed, air fares were expensive and just having an American passport was the key to any destination in the world. Today, that is no longer the case. Airports are ghost towns, air fares are not really inexpensive per se and traveling to Europe is REALLY challenging.

With the European Union current ban on travelers from the United States (reciprocity stinks, huh?), it has become extremely difficult to travel to Europe if you are a non-essential (to my dismay, football isn’t) individual/worker. Johan recently tried to return to Portugal and we had to go through a lot (two attempts) of hurdles to be able to board a plane. It would have been nice to have all/some of this information before we showed up to the airport so figured, we’d share it with you as there is a lot of misinformation out there. At the end of the day, it is very situational; however, we know local families who are sending players abroad very soon (good luck in Denmark, Germany, Spain, Portugal, etc.). Each situation/destination is unique so take this info with a grain of salt but here is what you may need.

Note: Unless you are an essential worker (ex. doctor, nurse, diplomat, etc.) or a worker with a unique skill (footballers fall in this category but you have to prove it), you will NOT be allowed to travel to Europe. There may be other allowed classifications based on the country you are visiting but know that American tourists will not be allowed in Europe for a while.

Note II: The good news is that the travel ban is reevaluated every 2 weeks so keep checking as your visiting country may reopen their borders back to the US.

Requirements:

US Passport: As a US citizen, you must have a US passport to even have a chance to depart the US. It helps (a lot), if you are a dual citizen of the visiting country (ex. Germany, Portugal, Spain, etc.) or have a foreign passport that allows you to enter ANY country in Europe (or even better, a passport of the visiting country specifically). Having a foreign passport can waive the US passport requirement depending on the visiting country’s laws. The *challenge* is to make it to European soil. Once there, everything is much easier.

COVID-19 negative test result: Most countries (maybe all) require travelers to present proof of a negative test result taken 72 hours prior to departure. This is very important. Take into account any layovers (especially overnight) and ensure compliance all the way through the destination country.

Nice to have’s:

EU passport: Depending on your final destination, having an official document from the country you are traveling to is extremely useful. Short of a passport, maybe a residence card (analogous to a green card in the US).

Residence card: As a US citizen, this may not be very common but depending on how long you have been residing abroad, this may be a possibility. If you have access to a residence card (or proof that you are in the process of acquiring it), that documentation should be sufficient to travel to your destination. In Johan’s case, having a copy of his residency application helped a lot. Unfortunately, we didn’t have it translated into English and we were sent packing the first time.

Letter from the traveling country’s consulate/embassy: With government offices barely opening everywhere, this may be difficult to expedite. However, if you are able to obtain a letter from an official government office from the visiting country stating that you should be allowed to enter, the letter (in official letterhead) can go a long way. Make sure the letter is written in both languages (the visiting country’s and English). This document will be presented in the US (at the airline counter) to backup reasons for being allowed to travel to Europe. Having a document written in a foreign language (w/out a translator at the airport) could be detrimental and delay check-in. This is very important as you never know the type of push back you could receive from the airline person at the counter. Make sure you have all official documentation with your son’s/daughter’s name spelled out correctly AND with a current date.

Work/Player contract: If you have your work (football) contract, it should help further justify the reasons for traveling. If you have such document in a foreign language, make sure you translate it before you present it at the US airline ticket counter. In addition to the contract, if you can, have a letter from the football club (an official declaration) stating that your player is “registered” with the club and under contract. This is almost the same as the contract except that it gives more credibility to a “long”, foreign language written contract that can not be easily translated.

Layover documentation: If your footballer has any stops during his/her flight, there may be additional documentation that needs to be filled out indicating that his/her stay is transitional and not as a final destination. Johan had a layover in France and the french government had different entry requirements than the Spanish government.

In these uncertain times, there are so many imponderables that could impact your chances of a “smooth” departure to Europe. Some may include the US state your player is traveling from (restrictions out of Texas are stricter than restrictions out of Kentucky), person at the airline ticket counter (this is by far the hardest hurdle to clear), airline, travel date, number of layovers, final destination, support from the club, player agency, etc. In our case, FC Porto went above and beyond to support Johan’s return to Portugal. We can only acknowledge their relentless assistance and professionalism towards us. Both times, when Johan traveled to the US a few months back and now, they have been a class act. Thank you FC Porto: #DragõesJuntos

The key is preparation. There are many factors to describe them in any level of detail in one post but we feel like we need to get this information out to the public to serve its full purpose. The “logistics” and sequence in which you present the documentation above plays an important role. Minimize the uncertainty and be prepared. It will pay off.

At the writing of this post, info in this post has helped at least four families initially being denied plane boarding (same airline). Please reach out if you need assistance with your questions: info@thegomezway.com. We’ll be glad to assist. It’s an extremely important trip and not planning well for it could have not just a financial impact on your family but a deeper footballing impact. Be prepared for some resistance at the US airline ticket counter, once you clear this hurdle, you are pretty much good to go. COVID is changing the travel industry significantly especially for footballers.

Les deseamos mucho éxito. En horabuena. ¡¡¡Se lo merecen!!!

Helping each other, we will grow the sport in this country. Change starts at the bottom (points at self). #theGomezway

Johan in Atlanta having successfully cleared the DFW obstacle and on his way to Paris
Español, Family, Louisville City FC, U18-MNT

Bienvenido a USL-C Jogo

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English

Estamos súper orgullosos de ti hijo. Además, estamos híper agradecidos por la oportunidad…siempre lo estaremos y las palabras de agradecimiento no existen. Desafortunadamente, no se dió el resultado y no pudiste contribuir lo que hubieras queriod pero el momento siempre vivirá en nuestros corazones. Celebrémoslo como debe ser ya que un debut (en cualquier ámbito de la vida) no sucede todos los días.

No es cosa de todos los días que un jugador reciba vitrina de televisión nacional en su debut ó estrene estadio con aficionados exigentes (y alegres) al fútbol. Son cosas que se deben de apreciar. La temperatura tampoco era tan mala…tal vez la emoción de querer colaborar inmediatamente con tu equipo al verlo abajo en el marcador te traicionó un poco. Suele suceder…especialmente si tienes 16 añitos de edad. Las buenas noticias son que la lesión tan sólo fue un dormilón y ya hoy regresaste al entrenamiento. Bienvenido a USL-C hijo. Gracias a todos los que se comunicaron para preguntar por tu salud. Ahora viene lo bueno: vemos el partido una vez más, aprendemos lecciones, agachamos la cabeza, picamos piedra, y esperamos la siguiente oportunidad. Nunca des nada por hecho.

Recuerda que es un verdadero privilegio estar donde estás. Algunos jugadores quisieran estar en tu lugar jugando “el deporte de las masas” en estos momentos complicados. ¡¡¡Disfruta el momento y pronto nos veremos otra vez!!!

Family, Louisville City FC, U18-MNT

Welcome to USL-C Jogo

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Español

We are so proud of you Jogo, words can’t suffice and we must be grateful for the opportunity…will be forever. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the best team outcome and you couldn’t help much either but it’s a memorable moment nonetheless. Let’s celebrate it as it must be; it doesn’t occur every day…

It’s not every day that a football player receives national TV exposure on his/her debut, or plays in a new stadium with hard core football (and jovial) fans. The temperature was not too bad either…perhaps the excitement of trying to contribute after a 4 month hiatus got the best of you…it happens…especially at 16 years of age. The good news is that it was just a dead leg and you were back in training today…welcome to USL-C son. Thanks for everyone who reached out to inquire about your health. For now, we learn the lesson, put our heads down, grind, and wait for the next opportunity. Don’t take anything for granted. Carpe diem!

It’s a privilege to be where you are. Some players wish they could be on your shoes just playing the beautiful game right now during these difficult times. Embrace the moment with open arms. We will see you very soon once again!!!

Español, Family, FC Dallas

Debut de Jogo con el primer equipo del FCD

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English

Escribimos esta publicación con algunos sentimientos encontrados. Por un lado, algunos de los jugadores del FCD y miembros del cuerpo técnico, están viviendo una situación muy complicada (tanto mental como física) en sus carreras. Sepan que los tenemos en nuestras oraciones (especialmente a los ex-compañeros de Jogo -amigos-, profes, etc.) esperando su pronta y total recuperación. Dios es bueno y los verá salir de esta.

No podemos ocultar nuestra tristeza al saber que no veremos juegos del FCD pronto; sin embargo, nos alegra saber que tanto jugadores como cuerpo técnico ya han empezado a enfocar energias en materia extra-cancha. Solidarizandonos con ellos, creemos que nostotros también le daremos un giro positivo a nuestra perspectiva y hablar de otras cosas. Nota: Esta nota la tradujimos ya empezado el torneo y la verdad de las cosas es que los partidos son una lagrima; el torneo es una verdadera burla y bueno, creemos que el FCD no se esta perdiendo de mucho mas que de la actividad.

El año pasado, el mismo equipo de FCD que ahora se encuentra en su octavo día de cuarentena, fue el mismo que le otorgó la oportunidad de debutar a Jogo. Siempre estaremos agradecidos con la organización del FCD, cuerpo técnico (Mikey Varas específicamente) y los jugadores que apoyaron su debut (Thomas Roberts y Bryan Reynolds). Sepan que estamos orando por su completa y pronta recuperación. Así es como todo sucedio…

Mientras la temporada productiva de U17s (2018-2019) de DA de Jogo llegaba a su final a manos de sus archi-rivales y eventuales campeones nacionales: Solar, el equipo filial de North Texas SC (NTSC) le presentaba algunas oportunidades. El aprovecharlas gradualmente llevó a Jogo al juego en contra de Lansing donde tuvo dos asistencias (ver abajo). Al término de ese partido, su futuro futbolero empezó a cambiar…

https://twitter.com/FutureUsmnt/status/1145367864695762954

Primeramente, Jogo fue nombrado al XI ideal semanal por primera vez y más beneficios se derivarían después de esa actuación.

XI ideal semanal después del partido de Lansing donde Jogo tuvo dos asistencias and completó 90% de sus pases

De igual forma, las prácticas con NTSC continuaron más frecuentemente. La confianza de Jogo se fué por las nubes. De hecho, tal vez erroneamente, asumió que al siguiente juego (depues del partido con sus dos asistencias) en contra de Greenville, iría de titular. Sin embargo, el Jueves de esa semana, el profe Eric, en la cascarita preparatoria, dió el cuadro titular contra los substitutos y Jogo iba con la banca. Sin decir algo, Jogo jugó con los substitutos y se puso a jugar.

Seguimos en el proceso de traducción de la nota….paciencia, paciencia…por ahora practiquen su Inglés y leanse esa 🙂

Y ahora, te encuentras más feliz que nunca

áóíéñ

Español, Family, Learning

6000 visitas y seguimos pisando fuerte

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English

Muchísimas gracias por su apoyo. Siempre tratamos de incorporar material de corte educativo que se base primordialmente en nuestras experiencias. Esa iniciativa, aunada con información verídica que puede ser encontrada en línea, es una fuente de referencia. Como es bien sabido, la trayectoria futbolística de cada jugador/familia es única; pero el tener un lugar atiborrado de información futbolera familiar, debe de al menos servir como punto de referencia. Y al final, esa es la meta.

Nos da mucho gusto continuar recibiendo correos electrónicos, textos y llamadas de teléfono buscando una opinión del entorno de sus experiencias futboleras. Bienvenidas sean las preguntas; nos fascina tratar de ayudar a familias/jugadores. Siempre trataremos de proveer un punto de vista objetivo basado en los matices de nuestra trayectoria y talvez eso pueda ayudar a mejorar su propio camino (cualquiera que ese sea).

Family, North Texas SC

USL-1 Jogo debut…tough decision

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Español

It was a relaxing Saturday night and the Gómez family was resting in Frisco; Jogo had briefly stepped out of their place to go fetch dirty football gear from his locker room at Toyota Stadium in Frisco. The date was May 25th, 2019 when we unexpectedly received a text from the FC Dallas Academy Director…to be honest, the time and day of the week were a bit strange but not unique since club communication had always been unsolicited, unidirectional, and unorthodox in general. On this particular night, there was a team void to fill (an opportunity) and thus the urgency to reach out to us late in the evening.

The text was an inquiry about having Jogo play a couple of away games with the USL-1 North Texas SC team in Toronto (Wednesday, May 29th) and in Virginia (Saturday, June 1st) against the Richmond Kickers. It all sounded too good except Johan’s high school graduation (and party) fully overlapped with the second game. His high school graduation (and after party that we had been planning for months) was scheduled for Saturday, June 1st and we were expecting ALL the family from both sides to attend. Since the football invitation involved two away games, the team would not return back to Frisco in between games and thus the decision involved participation in both games or none. The irony of the situation was that the starting North Texas SC left back was graduating from high school along side Johan, creating this opportunity for Jogo. What was Jogo to do? A decision was needed in little time…

Johan and Joana at the Cowboys training facility, 06.01.19 (Frisco, Texas)

When he returned from the stadium, we broke the news to him. He was excited for a moment until he remembered his brother’s graduation. This was one of the toughest decisions Jogo has had to make. Not only did he have to miss what he thought was a decisive DA game (of three games) against a very competitive (and eventual DA national champion) Solar SC side but he most importantly, would miss all the family, friends, teammates being in town for Johan’s high school graduation. As a matter of fact, it was a decision for which he didn’t request our feedback and ultimately was solely his decision. It’s important for up and coming players to understand that these difficult decisions/”sacrifices” are common in the life of an athlete in order to fulfill their dreams. As a family, we supported his decision to play and proceeded to inform the academy director. A couple of days later, Jogo was on a plane traveling with the team to play in Canada the next day against Toronto FC II.

Toronto FC II vs North Texas SC lineup 05.29.19. Image by North Texas Soccer Club

The result was not the desired one (2-3 loss); it was the team’s first loss of the season. Despite the result, the team played well and as a family, we were grateful that Coach Eric trusted Jogo to play 90 minutes and his teammates supported him to have a solid debut. It was time to move on and shift focus to the Richmond game a few days later. The game against Richmond overlapped with Johan’s high school graduation so we couldn’t watch it live.

Richmond Kickers vs North Texas SC lineup 06.01.19. Image by North Texas Soccer Club

The final result was a 3-0 win and the team regained its confidence. Jogo had two solid games; however, after both games, we didn’t know if he would be asked to play again. It really didn’t matter; Jogo had fulfilled yet another goal in his short career and in the process helped the team out. One of Jogo’s fondest memories of that trip was his rookie initiation accompanied by “Old Town Road“. Thank you North Texas SC and FC Dallas for this opportunity.

Jogo after the Richmond Kickers game . 06.01.19 (Richmond, VA). Image courtesy of Chancy Green

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Front of the T-shirt with the official “#theGomezway” logo
Back of the T-shirt with the official website

Family, Louisville City FC

Jogo returns to LouCity

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Words can’t suffice to describe the feeling of having hosted you along with your brother at home (your permanent home). It’s a family luxury we voluntarily gave up a few years ago. Silver lining from the pandemia. We are thankful to the Lord for keeping you healthy and safe and also to LouCity coaching staff for their understanding. They value family time as an important emotional pillar of an athlete’s mental well being and development. During your time home, we accomplished so many things. This is how it all went down:

The arrival:

Everything happened so quick. Just a few hours after we booked your trip late Saturday, you were departing from a very empty Muhammad Ali Louisville airport Sunday morning.

Obligatory picture commemorating the Kentucky Derby at the Muhammad Ali airport

As usual, the flight was a short one but to be honest, we barely made it on time to pick you up from the DFW airport. There was little time for pictures but we managed to snap this one.

Maintaining social distancing during your arrival at DFW airport 04.19.20

Just like Johan’s case, the change of clothes was mandatory and immediate after meeting you. We are pros at this now. On this particular day, we were in a rush since we didn’t want your siblings to wake up and find out we were gone to the airport to pick you up.

As soon as we arrived home, it was very tactful of you to go wake them up and greet them. Your siblings were pleasantly surprised and on we went to devour delicious traditional Mexican tostadas that you had been craving. We followed that up with Sunday service. At last, we were complete once again.

Traditional Mexican Sunday brunch like we haven’t had in a while

Child at heart

Off the pitch, most folks foreign to your lifestyle treat you like the young adult you have become. On the pitch, fans treat you like a grown football player sometimes forgetting you are only 16 years old. To be honest, your own family sometimes overlooks that you are still a kid at heart. During your time with us, we were blessed to witness the kid within you again; it filled our hearts with joy. BTW, thanks for allowing me to be a silly kid along with you. We manufactured some great memories albeit brief. Most importantly, we are grateful because we celebrated “El día del niño” (child’s day) yet another year together as a family.

The infamous BMX green devil that accompanied you to Hunt Middle School

We even got to make this fun video. You will enjoy watching it:

A football family at heart

Fortnite and FIFA:

The evenings were full of video games. I tried to learn to play Fortnite to no avail; I promise to do justice to #theGomezway when I pair up with your brother in pursuit of e-cred in your absence.

Somebody schooled us all in Fortnite

The daily trainings:

Not everything was video gaming. Both of you trained every day. You have always been very diligent, punctual and disciplined about training and school; it’s infectious. However, having your brother around served you well to take training to another level. As your parents, we are really proud to see how you continue to grow grit autonomously but most importantly the healthy ways your siblings pushed each other forming fond memories in the process. My favorite family memory was the picnics at the fields after hard weekend training sessions: priceless.

Saturday picnics at the fields were the best with the best company

Chuy: the new member of the family

Thanks for helping us choose a new family member. It was great having everyone around to make this important family decision. You were great with Chuy, he is going to miss the football fetching sessions with you but we’ll make it a point to bring him to you.

A brand new American Pitbull Terrier: “Chuy”

Frisco:

In addition to family, friends are an important pillar of a person’s psychological development. We are glad you took the time to safely visit acquaintances, friends, et al in Frisco. It was evident those interactions “complete” you emotionally.

Mother’s day:

The best part of it all is that you accompanied us to the best Mother’s day celebration yet. Why? Well, because in México, Mother’s day is celebrated on May 10th and this year’s that day was the 2nd Sunday in May (American Mother’s day celebration). We celebrated mom double.

Mother’s day 2020

The departure:

It was a great three weeks but the time came for you to go back. You are so excited to get the season going but some logistics must be worked out first. Be patient. You have been training adequately, doing some Cooper runs (thanks Coach Hack) and will be ready when the time comes. You almost missed your flight because you wanted to get one last additional training session with your ex-teammates.

Excellence. leadership and dedication all around

We are sad you are gone but happy you are now back with your extended family. They will continue to take great care of you but also work you hard. The real grind starts now. Never forget where you come from or where you are going. Know that you are loved.

You’ll be missed…
Departure…
Family, North Texas SC

Johan’s USL-1 Debut – one year anniversary

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Yesterday, North Texas SC (NTSC) would have played its first home game of their season at their new venue: Globe Life Park in Arlington. Unfortunately, the pandemic delayed those plans. Just like us last year, we know many families and players were looking forward to that event but the time will soon come. It is probably most unfortunate for those who are aging out or leaving the academy as that exposure was priceless for our boys. When they made their respective NTSC debuts, our entire experience of the next progression of the game changed.

See, today marks the one year anniversary since Johan made his pro-debut with NTSC and although his participation with the team was ephemeral, he loved every moment of it: playing and training with a different set of teammates (including his brother) and coaches, a higher level of professionalism (including coaching), and of course a more advanced level of the game. Here is how that went down.

Departure from Frisco 05.03.19

Although both boys had been practicing with NTSC since pre-season, Johan’s invitation to play (and debut) did not come until the sixth game of the season. It was the first away game for NTSC. The U18s/U19s DA busy schedule (DA season and Dallas Cup participation), the lack of depth at the #9 position with the U18s/U19s and the schedule conflicts between DA and the NTSC delayed his debut.

All things considered, we knew Johan would make his debut sooner or later and were hoping for a home game debut. However, when we received the news about Johan’s inclusion to the roster (expected as we had had a recent chat with FC Dallas technical staff) we were bummed that it was an away game: Greenville, South Carolina. As usual with the club, most communication took place last minute and under normal circumstances that wouldn’t have left much time to buy plane tickets. To be fair, that wasn’t the reason we weren’t at the game. At the time, I was undergoing some medical issues which required hospitalization. That prevented me from traveling. Jogo, on the other hand, could have flown by himself but he was scheduled to be away with the national team.

Instead, we subscribed to ESPN+ immediately after learning that Johan was starting. As you will see from below, it turned out to be a somewhat uneventful game with a fortunate goal by Thomas Roberts in the 17th minute. The whole game was somewhat uneventful with Johan trying to get used to a “new” team with very few opportunities inside the 18th. He almost scored in the 49th minute but honestly we feel that Greenville should have at least tied this game. In any event, the Gomez’s were thankful for the opportunity and knew that more opportunities would come our way since Johan had been doing well in DA.

Greenville (0) – NTXSC (1) 05.04.19 (Greenville, SC)

We didn’t have to wait long for Johan to score. The next weekend, he gave mom the best mother’s day gift he could. His first professional goal helping his team make a comeback from a 1-0 deficit early the second half.

Here is a picture of Johan and proud mom after the game:

Johan and mom post game (with friends awaiting for a memorable picture) 051119

A lot of things have changed for NTSC and Johan in the past year; regardless of the direction each has taken, Johan and family have very fond memories of our time there. More importantly, the friendships will last forever. Thank you NTSC and FC Dallas.

Johan, Bryan, Thomas and Tanner. We fondly remember the car rides home with all of them.
Español, Family, FC Porto, U16-BNT, U18-MNT, U20-MNT

#theGomezway

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Nos da un gran gusto ver a los miembros de la familia pamboleando con sus respectivos equipos. Mientras Jogo anotaba otro gol (se lo anularon debido a un fuera de lugar) contra el equipo nacional sub-17 de Estados Unidos en Florida (tercer juego consecutivo anotando), Johan tuvo una asistencia en el amistoso (debido al paro por la fecha FIFA) del FC Porto. Para culminar bien el día, el tercer Jogo se despachó con la cuchara grande y anotó un “hat trick”. Los goles y las asistencias siempre serán el resultado del juego de conjunto y a veces hasta circunstanciales pero nunca se darán en exceso; hay que celebrarlos mientras se pueda. A final de cuentas, nos fascina que estén disfrutando el “deporte de las masas” tal y como debe de jugarse con alegría y disciplina. Y por cierto, ya falta un día menos para reunir a la familia.

Gol anulado de Jogo Selección de USA sub-16 vs Selección de USA sub-17