Today we’d like to introduce you to Hayley Gonzales.
Hi Hayley, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I began playing soccer when I was four years old. I grew up playing in Long Beach and then eventually came south into Orange County. I played club and high school soccer in the Costa Mesa area. I had an unorthodox college career as I had transferred three times and graduated at the college I had begun at. I had a lot of ups and downs in every facet imaginable but soccer always kept bringing me back. I used to hate my story as an athlete but have grown to love it as I have been able to help guide and advise the next generation into making smart decisions as well as encourage those who may be taking a little bit of a different route than most athletes in their position. During my sophomore year of college is when I began private training and coaching. I needed a little extra money and I thought sharing my knowledge of the game would be a great way for me to be doing something I love as well as using my natural skill set and experience to help others!
It was shortly after that I got guilted into coaching his team and that is when I fell in love with being on the other side of the sideline. An 18 years old rookie coach coaching a team full of 13 years old boys. What could go wrong, right? Well, I definitely had my challenges of learning how to understand the game from a different perspective but also learning young athletes and how to get them to reach their full potential. I was thrown right into the flames but came out successful and have not looked back since. Seven years later and I am still a full-time athlete and have recently gone full time into private training under my own brand. It hasn’t all been playing and training/ coaching though. About three years ago, I signed my first modeling contract with my agency and it has been amazing to see how else I can use my talents to one, make a living, and two, travel doing what I love with a ball at my feet! Around the same time is when NikeLA brought me on board to help shape the way they were catering to the football (soccer) community in LA. It was an amazing journey I had with them as I was able to use and share my expertise of the game, from both the playing and coaching perspective, to bring their product to the core of the athlete.
I was also able to relay to them the importance of authenticity when bringing their products to such a diverse and committed football community. Authenticity is a huge keyword I use often and it was amazing to be able to work alongside so many impressive people at an equally impressive company. It was about last year when I reflected on my life work and realized I was doing so much for the LA community and asked myself, “what am I doing for the community in which I am living?” And it was there that I made it my mission to build up my own community in Orange County and fill needs that are so lacking here: representation, leadership, and authenticity. It has been a wild journey in the midst of all Covid-19 has brought, but I am blessed to be able to reach my community on the daily and challenge them and myself to reach our fullest potential.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Heck no! Not smooth at all. Every step I have taken in my career has been a challenge. I have had to fight for everything I have and everything I have accomplished. There have been more failures than victories in my journey, but you cant climb the mountaintop without falling to the bottom a few times. My college journey was a struggle. I lacked confidence, I lacked community, and I lacked belief in myself to do what I needed to do to get the job done on the pitch. It was not until my final year of eligibility that the light switch turned on and I felt comfortable in who I was as an athlete. I finally saw all my years of hard work come to fruition and was able to aid my team in some big victories. Without that final year, I probably would not be playing at the level I am now so it has been vital to me to use my success as a springboard to the next challenge.
Other challenges would include my thin physique, my lack of exposure due to playing at a small club, and lack of confidence I had spoken of briefly. These have all been things I have had to have physical, mental, and spiritual victory over and with God as my help, they are no longer strongholds in my playing career. On paper, I should not be where I am at, but with God, family support, and my work ethic, I am here, 22 years later, still playing the game I love. When it comes to coaching, the main challenge would just be the lack of respect. I am a young female coaching boys so every training session and game has had their fair share of challenges. It has made me get used to earning my respect and trust from my athletes and show them I know what I am talking about. It was always fun watching them shocked as I hopped in scrimmages and drills to show them a thing or two. The challenges in both playing and coaching have never deterred me from involvement, only fueled my fire to overcome and adapt.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an athlete, private trainer, coach, model, and personal strength trainer/ programmer. I wear many hats and love each and every “job” I have. I have worked extremely hard to have these titles and I am continuously growing in all of them. On top of these job titles, I have a decent size platform on social media. As much as I do not care for aesthetic and social presence, it has been really amazing to share my journey as I go and encourage all of my followers. They have been a big support in my continual motivation for success. I am most proud of the fact that I can pursue most all of my passions at once! The grind really never stops and as exhausted as I am on the daily, I am so blessed to live the life I do. God has really opened some amazing doors for me and I know He will continue to as I always aim to be the best steward of the things in which He has given me!
How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Because of the variety of things I do, there are many ways to collaborate. I have collaborated on YouTube/ Instagram videos, clothing lines, at-home training videos, product reviews, etc… If it has anything to do with football, fitness, or lifestyle I am all in! I also do virtual training sessions as well as do remote strength and conditioning programming for my athletes. So if anyone does not live in the LA/ OC area and still want to put in work, there are many ways I can help!
Contact Info:
- Email: haysgonza@gmail.com
- Website: www.haysgonza.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haysgonza/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hayley.gonzales.376/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/haysgonza
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCX6ECxQHf5y3vn3gfmQ56oA
Image Credits
Joseph Walsh Daniel Frito Andrew Stewart Jackie Gutierrez Will MacNeil
