SAIT Trojans midfielder Nico Gonzalez hopes 3rd time a charm with men's soccer team
No matter what happens in this weekend's conference final in Edmonton against NAIT, the SAIT Trojans men's soccer team will be in the national championship next month.
As host, they get an automatic berth to the event, running from Nov. 10-13.
Midfielder Nico Gonzalez loves playing for SAIT and he's been a member of the team on three separate occasions.
Gonzalez was first with the Trojans in 2005-06 and came back for a second time in 2009-10.
He then decided to return once again this season after getting laid off during the pandemic.
"I decided to come back to school," Gonzalez told CTV.
"I knew (head coach) Connor (Brady) from playing soccer and he suggested maybe I come back to SAIT and give it another go at the collegiate level. So I decided to do that."
Gonzalez is enrolled in geomatics engineering technology. He's now 35 years old but isn't showing any signs of slowing up on the soccer pitch.
In six games this season he has three goals and four assists and says he feels great.
"I don't feel my age like I keep in shape and I've been playing soccer for a long, long time," he said.
"I feel good and being around the young guys keeps me young so it's good."
The Trojans have had a great season so far. They were 5-0-1 in the regular season and feel they have a really good chance of winning nationals.
Gonzalez is only six months younger than his head coach.
Brady says all of that experience has really helped the Trojans this season and says Gonzalez has been a pleasure to coach.
"He simply wants what is best for the team," Brady said.
"He doesn't have much of a selfish mentality and you know he obviously leads by example you know with how to maintain your body and take care of yourself and add some longevity to your career.
"Obviously he's been playing at the level he's playing at now and he's doing it quite well."
Being the elder statesman on the team, Gonzalez tends to get the odd jab from his teammates but he says it's all in good fun.
"You get every so often the odd little comment here and there but other than that everyone is super respectful," Gonzalez said.
"They're all very attentive to me and if they have questions regarding anything they come and ask me. I've been through a lot of my experiences through this world of soccer so actually it's a good mix."
Brady says the entire team looks up to Gonzalez
"To be honest I think they have a tremendous amount of respect for Nico and that comes into play but you know it's a close group so there's banter always and yeah the number of years comes up every now and then for sure," he said.
Gonzalez is also a member of the national futsal team, which he says helps keep him in shape.
He says this will definitely be his last time playing with the Trojans so he'd love to go out a winner.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW From yearning for a change to cost of living, why some Canadians have left or may leave the country
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
NEW Capital gains tax change 'shortsighted' and 'sows division' business groups tell Freeland
Forging ahead with increasing Canada's capital gains inclusion rate 'sows division,' and is a 'shortsighted' way to improve the deficit, business groups are warning Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Florida deputies who fatally shot U.S. airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
Deputies responding to a disturbance call at a Florida apartment complex burst into the wrong unit and fatally shot a Black U.S. Air Force airman who was home alone when they saw he was armed with a gun, an attorney for the man's family said Wednesday.
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.