WXXV Student Athlete of the Week: St. Stanislaus football’s Ian Gael Gonzalez Rioz

If the road less traveled is to the left, Ian Gael Gonzalez Rioz is not going right as long as there’s a football in his hand.

“It’s something so difficult. In Mexico, we have soccer and that’s it. That’s the sport that everybody plays, and everybody inspires to be professional in that and I think that would’ve been way easier,” Gonzalez Rioz said.

Gonzalez Rioz is not afraid to go the extra mile, or in this case over 1,300 miles to follow his passion.

Hailing from Mexico City as a kid,  he stumbled upon an American football practice thinking it was futbol practice and the rest is history.

“It’s just something that I feel in love with, like the first time I touched the ball and right now I’m in love with everything, “ said Gonzalez Rioz. “When I touch the ball, I just get the chills when I grab the ball, throw it, run it, and  it’s just amazing.”

Gonzalez Rioz played football for 15 years in his home country, but he knew there were bigger opportunities out there beyond the boroughs.

What started as a pipe dream quickly turned into the American dream, leading him to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi as the first-year starting quarterback for the un-defeated St. Stanislaus rock-a-chaws… with his family behind him 100 percent of the way.

“It was a lot of effort by my parents,” said Gonzalez Rioz. “In Mexico, we don’t have those huge programs in football like here. It was just a dream that became real. I’ve talked with my parents since I was a little kid and they said “Okay, if you want to do it we will try it and we’ll do whatever we can.” I was just really sad after everything and I didn’t think my dream was going to become true and then my told me we had one last shot and we got it, we came here, we visited the school and fell in love with it and it’s just an amazing experience. I’m so thankful for my family and God just to be here and I’m trying to do my best.”

His best is exactly what the rocks are getting.

Just two games into the season, the senior is completing 50 percent of his passes for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns to go along with another 300-plus yards and seven house calls on the ground.

and even when there are setbacks… he’s already thinking about the comebacks.

“Whenever something happens, like you get an interception, you don’t score, you throw a bad pass, you just have to erase that thing, focus on the next play, and see what happens and enjoy every single day of your life,” Gonzalez Rioz said. “Just having that mentality of erasing and being a leader and being yourself. I just enjoy it all the time.”

Gonzalez Rioz says he would be happy playing the sport he loves with just about anyone,  but he loves playing it with his new brothers at SSC even more.

“It’s awesome that I get to be nominated for this, but I think it’s not just for me. It’s for my team.” said Gonzalez Rioz. “Without my team I wouldn’t be able to be here,I wouldn’t be able to score. I’m just the guy that throws the ball and runs the ball.”

One game into his high school career, Gonzalez Rioz had already pulled in his first collegiate offer from Pearl River Community College.

The future is bright for González Rioz, but for now his focus is on the next opponent.

“It’s been so awesome. The goal is to get go to the state championship, but right now we’re focused on Moss Point,” said Gonzalez Rioz. “They have a really good team and pretty good players, but we also have really good players and the best coaches on the coast. I think we have to focus on one play at a time and let’s see what happens.”

The Rock-A-Chaws head over to Moss Point on Friday to face the Tigers in week 3.