Seattle, WA

Raised in Lima, Peru, Coach Gonzalo's passion for the beautiful game was practically imprinted in his DNA by his soccer-crazed grandpa, affectionately known as 'Pani.' Together with his two brothers, they transformed any available space into a soccer arena, fueling their love for the sport. His journey eventually led him to the University of St. Thomas in Houston, TX, where he earned a finance and economics degree and played as a central midfielder for the collegiate soccer team. A native Spanish speaker, Coach G also enjoys cooking for friends and family. When soccer takes the backseat, you can find Coach G enjoying quality time outdoors with his beloved wife, Hayley, and their kids, Tiago and Nolie, creating cherished moments beyond the soccer field.

Victor’s soccer journey started long before, but his love for the Soccer Shots Way began in 2013. While still living in his native Houston, Texas, his University of St. Thomas teammate and future best man, Coach G, told him about a fun soccer program. After a few years of coaching in Houston, that conversation changed everything. A part of Coach Victor always knew that he would be involved in the game's future. Soccer gave and continues to provide him with much to be thankful for. He is grateful for the opportunity to provide a beloved experience to such little feet and big hearts.When Coach Victor is kicking his feet up, you can find him working on house projects with his supportive and beautiful wife, Victoria, and their two supervising cats, Rowenna and Camille. DIY is life. When not at home, Coach is at local sporting events or outdoors with friends, enjoying everything the PNW offers year-round.

Growing up in Texas, Alexis played club soccer throughout her adolescence sporting the number 9 on her back in honor of her childhood idol, Mia Hamm. Alexis went on to Northern Arizona University to study social and behavioral sciences. She has been living in the Pacific Northwest since 2019 and is still discovering new and beautiful places to explore with her partner and their scruffy dog, Sprout. On weekends, you can find Alexis reading books, drinking too much espresso, taking long walks, or tending to her very temperamental houseplants. She is incredibly thankful to link arms with Soccer Shots in their endeavor to positively impact the youth of Seattle.

Jovany was born and raised in Washington, and has always had a passion for sports. Throughout his time in high school, Track & Cross Country became his main focus, while Soccer was always something that he played recreationally. He would eventually earn his associates degree in Business administration through Cascadia Community College and afterwards decided on pursuing a career in Soccer. Jovany is really excited to make an impact in children's lives through Soccer Shots, attempting to mimic for them the same positive experiences he had with the sport growing up. Jovany also speaks Spanish as his family immigrated from Veracruz and Michoacán, Mexico. During his free time he enjoys long-distance running, watching movies, and spending time with his wife, son and their poodle-Yogi, who watches soccer with him on weekend mornings.

Soccer has been reliably consistent for Alejandro when other things weren’t. Early on, his parents instilled in him and his younger sister the love of the game, and it stuck. From playing in the streets of his homeland in Monterrey, Mexico, to winning his conference title in his youth club in San Antonio, TX; from leading his high school varsity team in Chicago, IL, to finding any opportunity to play while at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, the beautiful game has always been with him. Always a transplant, he moved to Seattle in April of 2022 to begin working with the Soccer Shots team hoping to inspire the same joy in the game that has been with him all along. In his free time he loves to play soccer, go dancing with his friends, and spend time outside enjoying fruit, music, and yoga on a picnic blanket.

Meg’s love of soccer began in her hometown of Abilene, TX, where she grew up playing from kindergarten through high school, with her favorite position being either sweeper or center-back. She took a break from the game when she moved to San Marcos, TX, to study International Relations at Texas State University for four years. After her college career ended, Meg was encouraged by her family to include soccer in her life again, so she began working with the Soccer Shots franchise in Austin, TX, where she coached for two years. During this time, Meg discovered her love of sharing her favorite game with children and the joy of watching as both their soccer and life skills grow throughout the season. In the summer of 2022, Meg decided to move to her favorite place in the world, Seattle, to be closer to her sister and have more opportunities to engage in her favorite hobby, hiking. When she’s not out on the trails, Meg loves reading, painting, and playing with her husky mix, Ember.

Growing up in Missouri watching the United States Women's National Soccer team is when Jacqui fell in love with the beautiful game. She played several sports growing up and was fortunate to play college soccer at Culver-Stockton College where she earned her BA in Media Communication. Jacqui had the opportunity to cover the USWNT in an Olympic send-off game while working as a journalist after graduating. Most recently she served in the Peace Corps as a Literacy Advisor in Jamaica. During that time she shared her passion for soccer with her community and students and was motivated to get back involved in the sport. With Soccer Shots, she has the chance to give back to the sport she loves and grow the game domestically. In her free time she enjoys watching sports, reading, baking, going to concerts and traveling.

Coach Matthew hails from New Ulm, Minnesota, or as it's fondly referred to back home, "MinneSNOWta." He embarked on his soccer journey at the age of 15, instantly falling in love with the game and the rich tapestry of global cultures woven around it. He started his college soccer career at North Iowa Area Community College. Following the attainment of his AA degree, he made the decision to continue his collegiate playing career at St. Cloud State University, where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Marketing with his studies completed, Coach Matthew invests a significant portion of his time in soccer. His Saturdays are often dedicated to following matches of Everton FC, Minnesota United, and the Seattle Sounders. Additionally, he relishes spending time outdoors with his partner, exploring their newfound home in Seattle, and playing video games with friends from his hometown.

Coach Layla grew up on the island of Guam, where beach days and nightly BBQs were a way of life. She moved to the big city to attend Seattle University, where she’s pursuing her dream career as a lawyer. Growing up with a twin sister and parents who always pushed her to be her best, Layla discovered a love for baking, especially making French macarons. Eventually, she transitioned into sports and developed a deep passion for soccer. Scoring goals gave her a huge confidence boost, and soccer taught her the value of hard work and determination—if you put your mind to something, you can achieve it.