Nathaniel Astlos is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Skyline High
School for AZPreps365.com

MESA — Uriel Gonzalez, head coach of the Skyline High School flag football team, mentor and former football coach, sees him as someone who understands the game very well.

Gonzalez took to the leadership of Darrell Dawson during  after graduating from Mesa High Schoo in 2024l.

Gonzalez is a young man who wanted to grow as a student, athlete and person, Dawson said. Being what he described as a true student-athlete

“I was always told, you have to have good grades to keep playing,” Gonzalez said.

Not only did he keep his grades up, but he was also an exceptional athlete, receiving offers to play in college.

However, Gonzalez ended up not moving on with his playing career after graduating from high school. 

Despite no longer being a student-athlete himself, he now tries to instill these ideas in his players at Skyline High School.

He tries to get the girls to learn a little bit each day and be good student-athletes, Jen Lauria, Skyline High School flag football assistant coach, said.

It is not easy to be a student athlete, said Gonzalez. It takes dedication to keep good grades while also striving to improve every time you touch the field. 

According to Gonzalez, dedication to be the best that they can be, day in and day out, is what he looks for from his players.

Gonzalez took an unusual path when he transferred into the coaching world and started helping Dawson at both the junior varsity and varsity levels right after graduating from high school himself.

“Other coaches looked at his age as a reason not to take him very seriously,” Dawson said.

Dawson said that Gonzalez is a kindhearted person who will do anything in his power to help others.

Since his time in high school, Gonzalez has only built himself, forming into someone that Dawson is proud of and excited to see where the future takes him.

“Coaching is an art that Uriel is slowly perfecting,” Dawson said.

He said this can be seen by his drive to help his players.

“When they have a question, I answer it and I break it down in the smallest way possible,” Gonzalez said.

Not only does he want his girls to understand the game, but he also wants them to be able to lift a trophy at the end of the year.

He wants the season to have meaning and not just be something that the players are just showing up because they decided to join the team.

However, this may take time, according to Dawson.

Currently in his first year as the head coach for Skyline High School’s flag football team, Gonzalez and his team are facing some adversity.

This includes: having to gain the trust of his players for the first time, starting himself in a new program and having to teach some players the game of flag football almost entirely from scratch.

Those around him feel as if he has done a good job of stepping into a new role that is so demanding.

“Uriel is wise beyond his years,” Lauria said. “He is mature and is on a great path to be a successful coach and man.”