For the past five years, Gonzalez has coached the Blazers, which constitutes two of the Irving YMCA’s youth basketball teams in order to share his experiences and teach his players how to be better young men through the values of good work ethic, sportsmanship, respect, leadership and team work. Beyond that, he wants them to understand the importance of honoring God and applying those principals to their everyday lives.
“God doesn’t want you to be exceptional just on Sunday,” Gonzalez said. “He wants you to be exceptional every day. Just like it’s not enough to get an education and a job. You need to work hard and produce every day.”
Gonzalez began coaching the Blazers when his two sons joined the YMCA Blazers. He wanted to demonstrate to his sons that being involved in a constructive, results-orientated activity with other less fortunate youth could help them honor God in their daily life. Since then, he can not see his life without these teams and plans to continue coaching the same boys he has for the past five years throughout the YMCA’s season and all year round when he has the Blazers play against other leagues.
“It’s an honor to be able to work with these youth,” Gonzalez said. “It’s rewarding to play a role in how these boys will grow up and the values they will take with them throughout their life.”
The Irving YMCA Blazers play the Falcons on Monday, January 16, 2012 at 7:30pm. While Gonzalez and the Blazers are undefeated this season, some of Gonzalez’s biggest contributions to the YMCA are happening off the court.
“Volunteers are critical to the success of Irving YMCA programs to fight childhood obesity, help at-risk youth and promote school readiness in our community,” said Doug Fox, Executive Director of the Irving YMCA. “It’s even more important when someone of Tommy’s stature is out there for all the right reasons. He works with all our programs and promotes our work to the entire community all while providing a positive adult male role model to our youth.”
According to Fox, Gonzalez’s involvement in the Irving YMCA has been instrumental in promoting all of the YMCA’s programs. This year, Gonzalez was able to secure a $30,000 gift from Sam’s Club to support the YMCA’s pilot “Play and Learn” program that promotes literacy for disenfranchised children through caregiver/child classes that are developmental based to encourage and teach both the parent and the child. Since the program began, schools have started to reach out to implement the program on their campuses.
