Who Coaches the Coach?: 3 Invaluable Lessons for Success in Coaching

Coach ＂Marilu＂ Gonzalez has spent the last ten years building a competitive Women’s Soccer Program at South Suburban College and Thornwood High School both in South Holland, IL. Coach Marilu has been part of the soccer community since 1994, playing for Chicago Latin American Soccer Association throughout Chicago and the suburbs, and coaching with the IWSL, NISL and head coaching at both the local high school district and the local community college. She has coached players from four years old to young adults. Soccer is her passion but coaching is her life. She is a teacher at Thornton High School, and is a graduate from Chicago State University and Concordia University where she earned a B.S. in Physical Education and M.A. Educational Leadership respectively. Coach Marilu has developed high caliber players that have received many awards and have continued their soccer careers at four year universities. The Women’s Soccer Program at SSC and TW combines academics and sport to develop students into student athletes. Success is not only evident in athletics but also in academics our Lady Bulldogs have brought in hundreds of A’s! Coach Marilu describes her philosophy as ＂applying all team skills to real life situations and expecting excellence on and off the field.＂ Ovidilio D. Vásquez is a leading authority on motivation. He enjoys delivering motivational speeches for parents and youth. He is also the founder of Speak Performance International. Ovidilio came to United States in 2006 from the sugar cane fields of Aldea (village) El Chontel of La Gomera Escuintla Guatemala. He started to learn English in 2008 at a suburban high school. Even though his mom left him all alone in 2009 due to an emergency, Ovidilio D. Vásquez worked swing shifts in warehouses to support himself through high school and was able to graduate in 2011. Once he graduated, Ovidilio received Business Management classes from Chabot College. In 2013 founded Speak Performance International and is now traveling across United States motivating parents and youth. Teaching parents ＂How to Raise Positive Kids in a Negative World＂ and teaching youth ＂How to Overcome Adversity through an Entrepreneurship Mindset.＂