This year for Latinx Heritage Month, we celebrated some of the many influential Latinx figures throughout sports history. As we conclude Latinx Heritage Month 2020, we celebrate one of our very own coach alumnus, Tony Villegas. 

Who was a Latinx athlete, coach, or other sport figure that you looked up to as a kid? Why?

A Mexican athlete I looked up to when I was younger was Guillermo Ochoa. He is a goalkeeper who currently plays for Club America and represents the Mexican National Team in international tournaments such as the World Cup. As a young kid living in the US, many American sports such as the NFL, MLB and NBA, which dominate American TV did not have any Mexican athletes I could identify with. So transferring my viewership to Spanish TV was easier to watch and identify with athletes who looked and shared somewhat of a similarity to me. 

Nonetheless I looked up to Guillermo Ochoa because he was always a risk taker. At the age of 17 he made his professional debut with Club America and suffered to consolidate himself among the starting 11. He managed to train hard and always remained a student of the game. His attitude, humility and discipline, which allowed him to always remain in a learning mindset, inspired the actual starting goalkeeper to literally put himself aside to allow Guillermo to play and shine. At the age of 26, which is considered to be very old, he made a huge transfer to Ajaccio; a mid-table team in the League 1 in France. Many questioned it and looked down upon it. However he quickly became a team icon and consolidated his persona as a role model to me when he was able to finally get a chance to start and play for the Mexican National Team back to back in two World Cups - he became a national hero for his amazing performances. Becoming an idol for many active soccer players who are now making their professional debuts today.

How important was it for you to see that representation in sports at that age?”

As I mentioned earlier, it was really hard to find someone to look up to when I was a kid. I had to switch from MLS to Liga MX to find players who looked like me. Even though I couldn't relate to them. I could not find someone who shared similar experiences to me. And being that we have such a huge Mexican population in the US it always concerned me that I didn't have anyone on the US National Team who could make me proud to be an American. 

Today we have Carlos Vela and Chicharito Hernandez playing in the MLS (Major League Soccer), bringing the Mexican people and the MLS much closer than before. But as opposed to before we now have players like Abraham Isaí Romero González, a 22 year old Mexican-American who is 1 year younger than me, became the player I always looked for. Who's origin story is similar to many living on this side of the wall. Now playing for the LA Galaxy he brings with him the American Dream a huge part of the population shares in the distance. 

It is important that we have representation of that magnitude in the media and on the playing field because this pay for play system that exists in the US needs to realize the talent that exists in the project buildings that I played in. It is important to me because when I put on the US jersey I want to feel like I am represented. It is important to all of us because we want to feel like someone is playing for all of those who couldn't make it. I love this country just as much as I feel it loves me and to be represented at the highest level possible is the American Dream.

Coach Tony served as an Up2Us Sports Coach from August 2019-July 2020 at America SCORES New York thanks to support AmeriCorps.