Gil De La Luz | Midfielder | #10 | Age 23
Where did you play youth soccer?
Began playing at 3 years old at a local recreational team in Tacoma, WA. Played 2 years at Federal Way FC then went to Washington Premier FC from u13 to u18. Played at Franklin Pierce High School varsity team all 4 years.
Where did you play in college?
Tacoma Community College for 2 years then transferred to play my last 2 years of college at Western Washington University.
What Professional and Pro-Am have you played?
Played my first professional season with the Tacoma Stars in the Major Arena Soccer League 22-23. Been playing USL2 with Oly Town since 2022 to now.
What is your most memorable moment as a soccer player?
My most memorable moment as a soccer player has to be when I won the NWAC Championship with TCC. That whole season was full of special memories and friendships I will never forget.
What does it mean for you to see USL2 level of play offered in this region?
It is a great opportunity for players in the Northwest who are wanting to the reach the next level. The quality and competition of the league will allow players to transition into a more professional environment.
Why did you choose Oly Town to compete in USL2?
I chose to play for Oly Town because I was attracted by the platform the club was trying to create to help players develop and reach the next level. There was also several teammates that I had played with on previous teams that I knew would be joining as well so I knew that the culture and atmosphere of the team was going to be great.
How are you feeling about being 3-1-0 in the division versus 0-4-0 in 2022?
It feels great! Obviously last season we didn’t do as good as we wanted to, but we knew that we were new to the league and it was going to take us some time to adjust and get adapted to a few things. Now that we had a feel for it, I believe we were able to better prepare ourselves to start the season off a lot better than last year.
What’s it like playing for this years coaching staff?
Honestly our whole coaching staff has been great this season. The amount of knowledge and experience our coaches bring to the table really helps the team thrive. Their presence helps uplift the team throughout trainings and games which makes it a lot easier as a player to play your game with confidence.
What does a normal day look like for you?
I practice with the team and sometimes practice again with other soccer players outside of the team or train on my own. I help run my father’s transportation company, there are days where I work from home or travel within WA or surrounding states.
Depends on the soccer seasons, during Fall I’m busy training/ playing with Tacoma Stars and Spring I coach Varsity and JV high school soccer for Franklin Pierce High School. I have a Border Collie puppy that I go on runs with to the waterfront.
I enjoy music, watching soccer, exploring outside hikes/lakes, spending time with my family and friends, helping kids with soccer in the Tacoma community so usually somewhere in between my day there’s some of that.
What is your advice for young soccer players?
My advice for the younger soccer players would be to play their game with confidence and to not let anyone bring them down. Every person has their own unique story that they are living in every day and only they will know what it is that they need to do to improve their game. If you really want to achieve something you will need to put in double the work that your competition is putting in.
2023 STATISTICS FOR GIL DE LA LUZ
GOALS: 3
APPEARANCES: 4
STARTS: 4
MINUTES: 331
FUN FACT: FIRST EVER GOAL SCORED FOR OLY TOWN IN USL FRANCHISE HISTORY (MAY 21, 2022 VS U23 PORTLAND TIMBERS)
PRO CAREER: TACOMA STARS (MAJOR ARENA SOCCER LEAGUE)
Catch Gil Sunday June 11 as the #2 Artesians take on #3 Lane United. 2PM kickoff with tickets on sale at olytownfc.com. Be on the lookout for more player spotlights as the season continues!
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