FRISCO - A lot can change in a year.
Heading into the 2016 season, Homegrown goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez finds himself in pole position for the starting role having taken over the spot late in the 2015 season despite starting the year third on the depth chart.
The 20-year-old did not fret from the challenge. In 11 games during the regular season, Gonzalez kept a clean sheet in five matches, and also came up with two crucial saves during a penalty shootout against the Seattle Sounders during the MLS Playoffs.
TICKETS: FC Dallas vs Philadelphia Union pres. by AdvoCare - Sunday, March 6 2:00PM
Now coming into the 2016 season as the No. 1 option, Gonzalez says that although he has improved physically and feels great about the upcoming season, one thing he wanted to work on this off-season and during training camp is his mentality.
“I”m becoming more mature,” Gonzalez says. “There’s a point in life in where you just got to mature and I think this is the year to be more mature.”
The homegrown player signed with FC Dallas during the 2013 season. After two years playing the backup role, Gonzalez says that the transition into the starting role has been a good one for him and that it is all about being concentrated on the game.
“Being the No.1 [option] you have to be mentally focused at all times,” Gonzalez says. “You have to work hard everyday so you can go into [every] game and have a great performance.”
Recently, Gonzalez received an invitation to train with the Mexico U-23 national team in hopes of getting a spot on the final roster for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Gonzalez started training camp with the team earlier this month and says that getting to know his teammates has been a great addition to his experience.
Gonzalez was also invited to join the US Men’s National Team, but he decided to join the Mexico National team after already having experience with the Mexico U-20 National team.
“I think my development with the Mexican national team, I think I owe a lot to them,” Gonzalez says. “They helped me come up and I think I owe it to them.”
With the first preseason game just around the corner and the regular season starting on March 6, Gonzalez says his goal for him and the team is to win the championship and he is anxious to get the season started.
“I’m waiting for the first game,” Gonzalez says. “I’m just waiting for this preseason to end already and get going.”
