Coach Gary Gonzalez, a former player of Coach Ramirez’s, joins the Ramapo coaching staff for the first time in 2007. He graduated from Long Island University in 1995 with a degree in early education and continued his education at Mercy College where he received a master’s degree in special education in 2004.
While at LIU, he started in front of the net for Coach Ramirez from 1990-1993, and for his efforts in ‘93 he was named to the North East Conference All-Tournament Team. He was also named Most Valuable Player for LIU’s game versus the Colombian National Team in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1993.
Coach Gonzalez’s career moved into the international scope playing with Barcelona SC (1st Division) out of Ecuador in 1991. Gonzalez spent time training under Brazil’s World Cup goalkeeper, Manga. With Barcelona SC he was named Most Valuable Player for his efforts against Emelec SC in Guayaquil, Ecuador in 1991. In 1993, Coach Gonzalez played with Liga de Portoviejo (1st Division) winning MVP honors in the Copa del Mar tournament held in Manta, Ecuador, and spent time training with Liga de Quito and Filanbanco.
Coach Gonzalez’s career continued on the professional ranks where he saw time on the North Jersey Imperials of the United Soccer League from 1994-1996. With the Imperials he won the North East Division in 1996 clinching the Sizzlin Six Finals in South Carolina. He played one final year of professional soccer for the Brooklyn Knights of the United Soccer League in 1998.
Coach Gonzalez currently works as a special education teacher at C.S. 102 in the Bronx and a United Federation of Teachers (UFT) Chapter Leader. He resides in Bronx, NY with his wife, Vicky, and their two daughters, Victoria and Kasanndra.
