Now in his fourth year at Oak Park High School, senior Oliver Gonzalez takes pride in being an Eagle. Gonzalez represents the Eagles in four different sports: football, soccer, lacrosse and track. No matter which field or track he steps on, he is known for his dedication and work ethic. Without a doubt, out of all the sports he has played, football stands above the rest. His journey includes not only self-determination but also goals and inspirations off the field. 

“I play for my team. We play for each other. I play for all my brothers on the team,” Gonzalez said. “I also play for myself. I really want to continue playing football, but it’s mostly for my team.”

While the camaraderie he shares with his teammates is unmatched, Gonzalez also finds inspiration closer to home. 

“My dad played Division I baseball at Pepperdine, but he’s definitely helped me with everything I do and almost every sport I play,” he said. “He’s my biggest inspiration.”

Although Gonzalez has played baseball his entire life, he didn’t feel the passion to continue playing in high school. Looking back through his four seasons of football, his first varsity practice is one of the most memorable. 

“I got absolutely laid out by Max Romanov when I went in at one point for scout offense in sophomore year,” he said.

This year, the football team paved their way through playoffs, with Gonzalez making his mark in the OPHS record book, rushing 330 yards. With his performance being strong in each sport, the mentality to handle the pressure isn’t a problem. 

“I try not to think about the stakes of the game and rather just play,” Gonzalez said. “I mean if you really like the sport and love playing it, it really doesn’t matter what the outcome is, rather you can play to the best of your ability and still come out on top of yourself.”

One of his biggest motivators through his last football season was running back coach Ellis Green. 

“He unfortunately had an accident and he got hospitalized,” Gonzalez said. “He hasn’t been at games or practice in a while and not having my running back coach is tough, but I still play for him.”

For one of the last playoff games, Green came to see Oliver play one last time. 

“When I first met him, he was coming out of lacrosse, so I wasn’t really sure if he was a football guy or not,” Green said. “But that quickly changed. He impressed me a lot.”

Reflecting on his first impression of him, Green has watched Gonzalez grow into an athlete he’s proud of. 

“He works hard. He’s determined and he always tries to get coached up. He’s always trying to get better. He cares about his team and he listens,” Green said. “I think he’s just a good kid. Forget the football, he does Eagle Scout, hangs with his family, he’s always good with everybody. He’s a team player.”

Aside from sports and school, there are many other activities Gonzalez enjoys spending his time in. 

“I am a boy scout and I am almost finished with my Eagles Scout,” Gonzalez said. “I did a project out on the field. I put turf where the sheds are. I scuba dive, I backpack, I hike and I do a lot of community service. I like helping out and I am a lifeguard.”

As he enters the spring season of lacrosse and track, Gonzalez stays focused on his long-term goal. 

“I want to train. I want to get stronger. I want to get bigger. I want to get faster as well,” he said.  “But I feel like putting an effort on the side, lifting weights, sprinting, doing everything in the gym will help me get to where I want to be.”

While Gonzalez would like to put more time in the gym, there are other challenges that he has to work around.

“There’s the challenge of free time, especially in the spring,” Gonzalez said. “In my free time, I’d rather be playing sports, so I feel like balancing school and sports takes a lot of effort, specifically getting home late, as well as getting enough sleep.”

Between school and all his sports, Gonzalez gives his biggest advice to student-athletes. 

“Find time for others. You should definitely take some time off. Don’t force yourself to do anything you don’t want to do and don’t let anything limit you to what you can do.”