Friday Free Kick: Greg Garza From Beyond Goals Mentoring 6.6.25

And so this is when we do the hot tag and bring in our buddy Greg Garza. Oh and see now and Greg is out on the little nye. See now Greg's got the Greg's got the pretty backdrop this morning.

So uh nice, I love that backdrop.

Brother, good morning.

Yeah, I wish it was uh, I wish it was fake. And I'm just kidding, very very grateful.

Yeah, I mean that's uh.

It's a little smoky here. It's uh, there's some smoke.

I'm in Canada right now.

My boys are in Brazil, so it's a little smoky here due to the wildfires in Manitoba.

Yes, and so of course the way you can.

Kind of see you in the background, Yeah, it's crazy.

Uh, you know, keeping an eye on all of that, and the fact that you are that you're that you're in the sixth and that everything is coming from Manitoba and working its way your way.

That's just absolutely that's absolutely crazy.

Last night last night, today is very hazy. Last night was like very very much.

So, yeah, how much time are you spending north of the border these days?

I'd probably say right now, I have a couple of weeks here. I think taking advantage of my boys. It's stuff I have to like program my mind that my boys are are in Brazil and I'm like in preseason right now.

It's like it's a preseason.

I'd always be without my kids for like, you know, a month, month and a half, two months at a time while we would be away and they would be back back.

Home with moms. So I'm like, my mind is.

Programmed right there to where I'm like in preseason right now.

But I'll be here. I'll be here and.

Well, and I'm when you're with everything that you're doing now with beyond goals, it's a different kind of it's a different kind of it's skill sets and prioritizing and making sure that everything is lined up where all you're doing, all the globe trotting and all the soccer for good that you're doing, but you've still got to balance being a dad and you've got to balance all these other aspects of the life away from soccer. How different is

Yeah, it's still I'm still I think I think being an entrepreneur allows that flexibility of still prioritizing what's what's important. You know, it still allows me to be a dad, to see my kids, to see my kids games every weekend, Whereas I think whenever even I played, I didn't have that that that.

Ability, or that that luxury to do. So so.

Now now with parking and myself, I think we're able to really prioritize family time and as well the things that matter to us. But at the same time travel a bit all at the same time and still be able to see the world.

Instead of just a bus, a hotel in a.

Stadium, we get to actually visit the city and learn some history and and see see things. You know, I'm I'm very fortunate to say I think I've been over forty five countries in the world today, but you know, I don't know if I've actually been able to really see all of those countries.

And really I love I love learning about culture.

And you obviously that every country and religion and belief and everything that that goes within. So it's cool to be it's cool to be in different places and and and learn different things about different different different locations.

When you talk to your mentees, do you tell them about stepping away and the importance of stepping away and becoming you know, understanding life in three dimensions.

Do you have those conversations big time?

It is unbelievable to see how many kids are able to travel today because of soccer.

I mean, I always tell kids, my my my.

Greatest experience in playing the Beautiful Game was was the ability to travel and see different things and have a growth mindset and learn about different countries and cultures. And I want kids to to to know that they have that ability and an opportunity and be grateful for the

That's that's uh, you know.

I think sometimes we we take a lot for what we have for for granted. So I think it's even it's even good for even my my kids included, to see different ways of life in different areas of the world.

What's it like to see them grow and respond to those different areas of the world and understand that it's not just us in a bubble. It is an entire world that's out there that they can learn from.

Yeah, I think they've in particular, they have been immersed in it from a very young age.

They they understand what it's like.

They know they know the different ways of life and different parts of the world, especially where.

Their parents it's are from.

So you know, it's always important to take them back, not only to our roots, but help them understand the differences of of of how life has lived in different areas of the world. I mean that's always you know, we always talk about taking my kids every year. They always choose one place where they want to travel, you know, each and every one of them, and I always do that for them to to help them learn about different

And all right, since we talked about it at the Open.

I know that I'm going kind of ways with you here. Did you see what happened with the Vancouver white.

Caps with Chris Horner?

Yeah?

I did watch that game. Did you're like what happened?

Or did I just like what happened after that might have contributed to the game?

I did not what happened.

Uh.

They have not been practicing the last couple of days because of more than thirty staff members and team members suffering from gastro intestinal distress.

So you think they were poisoned before the game?

I think that they might have done some rookie mistakes. I think that they might have, oh I don't know, perhaps consumed the water that they weren't supposed to, or had food that they weren't supposed to. Might have had a little bit more of an adventure than they should have. That's what that's my guess.

Yeah, that happened to me in Peru.

Oh yeah, playing in an under eighteen no sorry, an under twenty quadrangular tournament. It was us prew Column and be uh and maybe Brazil. But that happened to me maybe maybe the third day. I think I had played against Peru, and then that was my only game that I was able to play.

I was, I was. I was in the hospital actually for wow a week and a half.

Wow.

They had to emergency flying me back to UH Portugal.

I was playing in Portugal at the time and I was on an IV Wow. So I was not able to eat or drink absolutely anything. And that that was that was that who knows what they put in the food at the hotel.

Wow.

Yeah, I mean that's but yeah, I mean just when you mentioned that, that's crazy that that it would go to that kind of an extreme in a situation.

Oh, when we were in Coco Labertadoras and with Club Tijuana, we would bring our own chef and he would cook.

He would cook food.

Even when we were traveled to Brazil and we would traveled to Bolivia, we would always bring our.

Own chef and and he would go to the market buy the food, grocery store, buy the food and then cook it for us. We never eat the hotel food. Man gonna be careful.

Yeah, well, and so do you have conversations with uh, those in your circle, whether it's mentees or young folks in general. Just while you understand the culture and have fun, there's a job to do at the same time, of course.

Yeah, I mean I wouldn't put Vancouver's.

Lost no to the what they ate. No, they just got absolutely hammered. Uh it was they turned into Intermlian.

And psy.

Yeah. But I mean, yes, you have to be weary of of of what you eat, what you dream.

It's especially when you were in different world countries for sure.

I mean that's that's uh.

You know when you see stuff like that, obviously you bring it to the front of the line and go, man, that's just absolutely crazy. A part of the and it's part of the learning experience about competitions.

So you mentioned.

Vancouver and them getting thumped by Cruise USUL. I know a lot of folks were sitting there thinking, Okay, it's gonna be a cruse as they know that that's going to be the case, but it didn't this particular time. When you play in international competitions, it's a great learning

Yeah, I just I just watched the video of Taylor Twelveman speaking yesterday.

I don't know if you saw that same video.

That theyre my life were past Mexican talent.

Oh I disagree.

I disagree because whenever we play these these next tournament, whatever we're playing, we alway playing the States.

You know, that's.

Uh for for us.

I remember playing against Galaxy and the CONCA champions with Club Tijuana and playing in Galaxy with Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan and all those big Omar Gonzalez and all those big names that they had way back in the day. And I believe we lost one zero in in l A and had a few chances, and then we were just licking our chops for when we had them the next week in Tijuana because we knew it was going to be a thrashing, and I think we thrashed them.

I want to say it was like five to zero or.

Playing in Mexico is just a different it's a different, different atmosphere, and it's uh, you know, you talk about the bins and you talk about different locations Portland, and I mean, I can bring up some great environmental places to play, but it is it is not as hostile as when you play in Mexico. It's it's it's a different it's a different beast, it's a different animal when you play you know, these these games as as Vancouver played in the Puma Stadium, although it was at to say.

Oh, you know, you have have a different, a different feel.

You're you're dealing with external factors, you're dealing with altitude, you're dealing with the fan base, and it's.

Just there's so much, there's so much more.

So, you know, it's obviously subjective in what Taylor Twelman says, and I do think the gap is rather closing, but I still think, you know, it's it's very it's it's very it's very it's very close. The minimal, it's very minimal. But I think whenever we play in the States, we do have that advantage. We just never we never, we

We just we scrimmage, We scrimmage Bosnia.

And and and you know Bulgar Area in Slovenia and New Zealand, but never scrimmage Spain or Italy or Holland or England, right, and and we never really get to put ourselves up against those beasts until when it really matters, and then that's when you see the the huge differences. So I think for MLS it's it's we almost kind of have that same we almost have that same uh

Hopefully we hopefully we can compete.

I I truly hope this is this is where I think Taylor Twelveman will have his next interview of of what what how we really shape up to other clubs in the world. And I hope we do, because I do feel like we are climbing up the ranks. But but I do feel like we still have some ways to go in terms of of that level. I think we are at an enormous level. I think we are an enormous level in terms of where the league is, but but we still we still have some ways to go.

Great guards to hear and the Freddie free kick breaking everything down at beaching mentoring on social media. So when you talk to your mentees about hostile environments and external factors and things that they can't control but still have to focus on the task at hands so they could be successful, what are those conversations like, I.

Think preparation, Preparation is everything.

Preparation is key, and making sure you're staying consistent in those in those areas, you know, controlling what you can control.

I think that's that's an important piece of it.

Then you go from the controlling the controllables to learning that there are those gaps, those talent gaps, and not getting wrapped up into the idea of, oh crap, they really are that much better than me. I've got to get to that level instead of having it weigh you down. What about you know, having those kinds of conversations about self improvement and not focusing on the outside and the focusing on the inside out so you can become a better.

App Yeah, self assessment is a huge is a huge component to what we speak about. You consistently have to always look at the man in the mirror, never never point fingers, don't make excuses, Consistently think about improvement, you know, analyze, review, reflect on what you can get better at. Have find a way to fix your mistakes and find your consistencies.

Self assessment is a huge piece.

To to what we apply and then also implement within our program.

So when you discuss self assessment, do your mentees understand that initially or is it something that they have to warm up to instead of sitting there and comparing themselves in uh, you know inbound, it's comparing yourself outbound, I mean self assessment.

Were Self assessment is a constant reminder.

I think even with with with even if you don't play sports right, you're the.

World the world is.

The world is full of judgment, and the world is full of comparisons. From a scouting perspective, in soccer, everything is comparison, right. You are comparing this player to that player, that player to this player, this player to that player. But when you are amidst and you are kind of immersed in the world of sport, uh, and you are that player, then that's where I think that that judgment has to be of your own, and I think that's

That's a huge component towards staying.

Staying I guess, loyal to your own trajectory and your own path and not allowing anything else to veer you off into a different direction.

How do you keep it from being too self critical?

Though?

I like kids who are self critical.

I enjoy kids who are very critical of themselves because I feel like the greatest of athletes are very critical of themselves, as long as it is critical towards growth, and I think that's a huge That's a huge component that I try to imply whenever I speak to kids, is you you have to think about being self critical and in terms of growing towards something that's that's that's better.

At the same time, though, and this might be a generational thing where I would anticipate that there are certain generations when it comes to their self criticism, that they are too harsh, but that's just what they know from their their particular age group and those that were influencing them in that particular timeframe. Are older mentees because of their influence, Are they more self critical that has to

You'd be surprised.

I think a lot of even even I see it on the younger side of the spectrum, to where more kids on even on the younger side or are are more self critical in a positive way rather than than older ones. I think it varies varies from age to age and generation to generation, but you know, I think I think it is more noticeable to see more kids critical towards a negative a negative way rather than than a positive way from from from our point of view.

Yeah, and that was why I was asking it that way, but because I would anticipate that when you have all of this external peer pressure that's attached to it, you try to navigate through it, make yourself better through self criticism, but you have those external factors that can either push you forward and make you fix it sooner, or they can drag you back and make the process along.

Am I am I off there.

Big time, big time.

Yeah, it's uh, you want you want kids to kind of understand small cues and the.

And as quickly as possible to.

To help them, to help them whenever they do critique themselves, or whenever they do receive constructive criticism, or when they do try and think about improvement. It's it's it's always it's always towards a positive direction.

And I mean it's something that for those of us of a certain age group, it was negative first and and it was like, you know, it'll be a cold day in hell before you you know, you go back to doing that all over again, and that stuff can stick with you, and then as an adult it can influence and it's almost like a trickle down effect of this is how I was influenced, and so by default, this is how I influence. And so I think for adults it's just as much of a challenge to try and change that mindset.

And so when they try to influence.

Yeah, big time.

Uh we you and I have talked about this before or and just understanding understanding how to manage different generations.

Yeah, I think.

I always I always tell people, I think in our generation, we're we're built very tough. Coaches coaches pulled us, pulled us by the collar, or us by the ear or where in today's world that's that's you're not unable to do so. And I think it was more when when you were a kid, you were more accepting of that. Uh, It's like it was the it was the norm, where in today's world would be very abnormal for anybody to do any anything like that.

I mean you would, you wouldn't be able to.

So still trying to help kids understand how to be tough, but looking at it from a different angle and approaching it from a different angle.

Is important as well.

How tough are kids?

I think kids are quite tough.

I think we can go back to what we initially talked about and helping them understand that that seeing different ways of life in different different areas of the world can all be is teach them different perspectives and also different lenses that they can look through, and in terms of understanding what what what the world is, I think that's that's life's biggest lesson is to to see how people are raised in different areas of the world to

That I had been and and kind of seen through.

You know, my my own two eyes, and and understanding that people live, you know, various different lives all over the world, and it allows it allows me to always step into moments with first and foremost gratitude and understanding what what I have, but also at the same time challenging me to always think think like that rather than rather than, you know, make an excuse for complaining about something that that shouldn't be complained about.

How many may teas do you have right now with you parking?

How many do we have?

Yeah, not actively, but we have surpassed over a thousand kids.

So yeah, we have been now, I.

Mean since the inception of Beyond Goals, we have we have touched over and I would say been a part

It's interesting.

Somebody asked me the other day, how do you remember every single one of them?

And I say, I do, Parking doesn't. Uh. I always have to remind Parky, like what what you know?

Hey, this kid is this, this kid's been through this, or hey, you've actually spoken to this kid.

Maybe a couple of years ago. We'll we'll just say it's an age thing.

A little bit as you get older, so hopefully I won't get there, and and hopefully we can continue to do this to where I can be the the you know, it's it's funny. I've always been. I've always been. I

Happens so so long ago.

You know, it's it's it's it's a it's a cool it's a cool thing to have.

But yeah, it was funny. My mom was, My mom was.

My mom is is obsessed right now fixing my Wikipedia page because my Wikipedia.

Page is so out of whack.

Wow, it doesn't have it doesn't have correct or true information about my trajectory. And you never know, Wikipedia is just anybody can edit it, right. So my mom is, my mom is like the big editor of winning because most people, I mean, whenever.

I look at people I look at their Wikipedia page.

So uh, you know, my mom is like obsessed right now and fixing everything.

So the last couple of days of calling me, hey, Bubba, do.

You remember that one under seventeen camp that you went to and you know Germany and you guys played against Tony Cruz. What was the score of that game? And I was like, oh, yeah, it was three zero. I scored the first goal, Elis McLaughlin scored the second goal, and I believe Jose Altamedano scored the And she was like, holy.

Sheesh, how do you know that. I was like, I don't no.

I just that we gotta we gotta find that somewhere on the internet to prove to Wikipedia. But I remember what that game was, and so yeah, it's it's it's cool to have those memories and and and always think back about those important games.

How many of the the og from Beyond Goals Entering are still in conversations and how many of them check back in with you and Parky as they continue to agent Yeah.

I mean one of our one of our for sure.

I mean I could look right now and I see like Dominic chuang Qui was probably one of our.

Mister Dominic chuang Qui was our tenth mintie.

Wow, so you know, I speak to him quite often to see his trajectory.

That was in twenty twenty one.

I retired in April of twenty twenty one, and our inception of Beyond Goals was was, I think, you know, November October November we had the idea. The idea surged I think in August of twenty twenty one. So I mean it's been you know, almost almost four years since we since.

We started this thing.

And to see mister Dominic chan Qui grow up into the man, the young man he is, and and and the great adult he is. But at the same time, see see how successful he has become on the soccer side, and and his journey is just beginning, however, however far it takes him.

Uh.

Noah Cobb was one of our very first ones as well. So to see to see these kids, to see these kids grow and and still have constant conversations with them, Uh is such is such a cool thing. I just talked to dom Dom's mom yesterday, so it's uh, you know, to still have conversation with their families and check in and see.

How they're doing.

I know he's in Switzerland right now with the under I believe under nineteen or into twenty national teams.

So both both of those guys, right, So, uh, it's cool.

It's really cool to see to see those kids mature and great young men, but also really stand behind what what beyond.

Goals really really really means.

You know, it's it's that was the whole point of it, to develop, to develop great human beings and and help these young men and women understand that the personality aspect is is so so significantly important.

Yeah, and especially when you get to talk to Momshank we about Dom Chang Kui and find out you know, it's like, okay, so you've got to make sure.

That he's in a straight and arrow. Yeah.

Oh yeah. One one other thing. Uh, and you can either disclose or not.

Uh.

Last time Parky was on, he was saying that the roster might expand when it comes to mentors.

Are you any closer to the expansion of the roster?

We are? We are. It's it's it's a.

It's a hard one to juggle because of how busy are are.

I don't know if party had mentioned who it might be.

No, He's like, I can't mention it, but know that it is that it is a her.

Yes, it is a her, and we are super excited. She is a current pro, so we have to work around that as well. And she's also involved in uh the North of the Border national team and the national team. Uh So it's uh, I am in her native country right now, and she's involved in the in the UH.

Our own country as well.

So it's it's cool to have that connection and that tie in that bond, but also understand that, you know, she she is a busy She is a busy woman, you know, living living life as a pro and and and also wanting to be involved in something that we do. So we're super excited. We still have i'd probably say a month or so, hopefully hopefully get her by by August, right right when the season kind of racks and starts up for for most of these young players.

Okay, and so obviously you're going to break the news on this show on a Friday.

When this is official.

Of course, we will.

UH enjoyed the tea dot as always. The Golden Horseshoe is a really cool place. Uh, stay as healthy as possible with all that stuff going on over your left shoulder. It's always great to see him, my friend. Thanks for dropping by and spending valuable time.

Thank you for having me Matt.

Who's your who's your who's your guests? On this Club World Cup? I am, by the way, the Atlanta ambassador of FIFA. Uh so I'm very proud of that. So I get to go with the very opening match in Mercedes Bens. I think it's Chelsea and l a f C s correct random text from some dude in Switzerland that works for FIFA, and I was like, what.

I thought it was?

I thought it was yes at first, so I had to I had to talk to some people involved in the league and be like, is this is this real?

So?

Uh, you know, I'm I'm trying to hope. I'm really trying to hope I can get my end, not necessarily for the Club World Cup, but for what's coming next year next year, no doubt before we spend four thousand dollars on yeah tickets and the nosebleed section for the World Cup next next year.

Okay, I'm gonna have a bit of a collision here. We have a guest who is crashed. Do you know this gentleman, Greg Garza, Oh.

Yeah, yeah, this is the gentleman that needs to write a book after this show is over.

Yeah, yeah, you need to find him an author, John Well.

I mean, considering that I've written a couple of books, I think it is very true. Uh, might be an opportunity for me to do this. But apparently Ozzy's joining us this week because it's good to catch up with Ozzy, So Greg Garza. Last time that Azzie Alonzo was on the show, Michael Parkhurst asked a question to Azzi Alonso. So I will ask you to ask a question to Azzie Alonzo.

Okay, I'll ask you this is This is good. You're getting my interview skills in right now. Uh huh, this is maybe it should be the other way around because we got the TV guy.

Yeah, I would say I would say.

This this is This is gonna be a very personal question. How how do you instill the the battles and obstacles and hurdles and challenges that you have learned throughout your personal life?

How do you instill that within your.

Own kids and helping them understand what you've been through in your life and how it's shaped you as your person and built your character as.

Oh good question, right, yeah, now not to see your man you as well. Yeah, you know, I grew up in Cuba hard time in the beginning. My kid, you know, born in the United States. But I always tried to to make down a thing that when they do something, do with passion, because always another kid or they are that they don't have the double, the chander, they have the resource. I'm always you know, do your best no

Love it, love it. We know he was a pretty passionate guy when he played.

So uh Ozzie Alonzo question for Greg Garza before he gets out of here, Hey hey, look man, you're on TV. Now you've got to be ready to ask guests and a heart fee.

Okay, so what do you what do a thing about.

Police, pulicit policy, policit situation. Uh, gosh, that's a great question.

I understand where he is coming from, but I believe when you have any opportunity.

To represent your nation, you should you should take it.

Why why not want to be the player that has the most capped?

Why not want to.

Surpass Kobe Jones or any other player that has represented the national team to put your name name on a pedestal to where you are the most represented player. Uh, that has has has played for your country.

So I think it does not matter if you are.

It's trying to explain to kids the difference between hurt and being injured. Right when you are hurt, well, there wasn't a day and either of our lives that we didn't feel hurt. There was You walk out on the field and your ear low would hurt, but you still go out and play. And when you're injured, that's that's the different. That's a different that's a different piece of it. So you know, I think I think I think he should.

Have have played.

That is my personal opinion, Especially when you have somebody of his caliber to change a game in a millisecond.

You need those players.

But I think whenever you have the opportunity to represent your nation, you don't say no.

Absolutely true, all right, so Greg as always great to see you, my friend, and we'll catch up with you soon