While he was at Central Bucks East, soccer player Chris Gomez was recruited by Lafayette, but he wanted a shot in a bigger venue.
He decided to venture to Syracuse University to play in a higher profile program and decided to redshirt his freshman year there. Gomez wanted to maintain the level of play he previously encountered the previous three seasons at the Philadelphia Union Academy.
However, his life took an ironic turn. Gomez will play his senior season at Lafayette this fall.
“The coaches there (Syracuse) told me that I would be in their lineup,” said Gomez, a Jamison native. “But once I got there, the coaches had already chosen the players they wanted. I could see right away that it wasn’t for me.
“I could have tried to fight my way into the lineup, but I knew I was worth a lot more.”
Gomez spoke with former CB East teammates Evan Vare and Ben Marks, who were both at Lafayette at the time, about the possibility of joining the Leopards program.
“I reached out to both of them,” recalled Gomez. “Those two guys reached out to (head coach Dennis) Bohn for me.
“I did look around at schools, too, but Lafayette provided the best situation for me as a student-athlete. I was looking to stay on the East Coast, and it was a good fit for me to play. My parents could come and see me play and it is less than an hour away.”
Vare, who subsequently transferred to Villanova and is a senior there, figured Gomez would welcome a move to Lafayette.
“I knew things weren’t working out for him,” said Vare. “He was looking to transfer and we told him that he could make an impact at Lafayette. Even though I didn’t get a chance to play with him, I knew how good of a player he was.”
In his two years at Lafayette, Gomez was third on the team in scoring in 2017 (five points) and co-led the Leopards in goals (four) in 2018. Over his two years, he has been a playmaker and has been an honor roll student.
“Chris has done a tremendous job for our program,” said Bohn. “He is a bright, talented student-athlete. Playing on the flank, he has produced excellent service for us. Every season he has improved and we believe he will have a huge, positive impact this year.”
Gomez likes his team’s chances this season.
“I have two full seasons under my belt and it has really been good for me,” said Gomez. “We have a number of players back, and we are all very confident about our chances. We’ll see what we can do.”
Gomez also saw his three years at the Philadelphia Union Academy as a major factor in his development. At the academy, Gomez was the captain of the under-16 team.
He left CB East to play there despite the team making it to the state quarterfinals his freshman year.
“There was an amazing soccer atmosphere at CB East,” said Gomez. “But the academy’s level of play and competition was miles ahead of high school soccer. Playing at the academy for me was a no-brainer. The mindset there is a lot different.
“I wanted to play there because I wanted to be a scholar-athlete in a big college and have the advantages there to someday play pro soccer.”
Gomez is a government and law major at Lafayette, but he plans to pursue a career in finance. He also wants to keep playing the game he cherishes after graduation.
“It’s 100 percent that I will be playing,” stated Gomez. “There are some good men’s leagues in Bucks County. I would be open to any other opportunities like coaching because I really love the game.”
Looking back, Gomez made a significant move three years ago that he soon won’t forget.
“I love the school,” added Gomez about Lafayette. “This is the perfect place for me. I know I made the right choice and I feel blessed. I’m looking forward to finishing on a high note.”
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
