EL PASO, Texas – Not everyone goes pro and George Valenzuela accepted that fact as he reached the end of his career at Adams State University, but he knew that whatever he did next had to be in the realm of soccer. Luckily for him, that opportunity would materialize years later in the city he called home.
Prior to returning to the Sun City earlier this year, Valenzuela had been working with two different Rush clubs in the Denver area where he learned a lot about managing youth teams. From ticket sales and marketing to community relations and recreational soccer programs, Valenzuela was acquiring a lot of knowledge he knew would be beneficial down the line.
“I knew that coaching and soccer was the world I wanted to be in and that if I wanted to be in this in industry, I needed to invest in myself,” Valenzuela said.
While out on a business trip in Florida with Rush, he would run into member’s from Locomotive’s front office at a coaches convention and learned more about the inner workings of a professional soccer organization. Intrigued with the project that was shaping up in his hometown, Valenzuela began to follow the club’s pages and several members working within to learn more about how things operated in hopes that one day he too could be a Loco.
He would eventually return to El Paso after seven years, determined to find his way through Locomotive’s door. However, he hit his first roadblock.
“I was hit with rejection and was told my qualifications were not where they needed to be, which sucked because this club is what I aimed for and I did not get the job right away,” he recalled. “So I worked a few odd jobs here and there to maintain myself while I kept trying to work my way in.”
One day, as if by luck, he bumped into Locomotive Academy Director Ivan Militar who was out playing pickup soccer with several members of the Youth Soccer department. Valenzuela would introduce himself and began chatting with Militar about potential opportunities. Militar noticed Valenzuela’s eagerness and told him that if anything came up, he would keep him in mind.
Valenzuela’s phone would ring a few weeks later. All Militar had to offer was part-time job as a coach for the U14 boys but he was ready to give Valenzuela the chance to lead the team should he wish to accept it. And he did, without hesitation. He left his other jobs and committed himself completely to working with the Locos, intent on shaping his boys team to be one of the club’s most competitive.
As time progressed, Militar picked up on Valenzuela’s ability to connect and manage his players with ease. His work ethic and drive stood out wherever he was at and his relationships with co-workers and families were quite strong despite how short his time with the club was. Militar began to wonder what Valenzuela would be like in the front office and with all the work that the Youth Soccer department handles, an extra set of hands would not hurt. Militar began to have conversations with his staff and club leadership and later approached Valenzuela with an opportunity to play a greater role within the organization. It was risky for Valenzuela to return to El Paso with no solid plan lined up, but his effort and sacrifice had finally paid off.
Now, two months into his role as the Academy Registrar for the El Paso Locomotive FC Academy, George Valenzuela could not be more grateful to the organization that gave him the opportunity to simultaneously oversee competitive and travel logistics for the Academy and continue to coach his boys team as he works towards his first U.S. Soccer Coaching License.
“This job has been the best experience I’ve had so far in my career and what better place to have done this than at home,” Valenzuela said with a smile on his face.
MORE ABOUT GEORGE VALENZUELA
Valenzuela has a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Adams State University and is currently working towards his maser’s in sports administration as well as his U.S. Soccer D Coaching License.
Valenzuela played collegiate soccer at Pine Manor College (outside of Boston) between 2017-18 and Adams State University (outside of Denver) between 2018-2022.