Emery Gonzales (10) sprints ahead, finishing off her race. Gonzales was named Aprils female Athlete of the Month. Photo courtesy of Emery Gonzales.
After achieving multiple school records in her second season on the varsity track and field team, Emery Gonzales (10) was awarded April’s Female Athlete of the Month. She holds the school records for the girls 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter races, placing her in the top 10 female athletes in San Diego in all three events.
In the North County Conference Coastal League Finals on May 10, Gonzales set the women’s school record for the 400-meter race at 54.47 seconds. Later that day, she also set the 200-meter record at 24.54 seconds.
“Emery has been a blessing,” sprints coach, Brian Moore, said. “You don’t get a lot of athletes like that … she’s a great example for the other athletes, always in a super positive mood. She kind of pulls the whole team together.”
With Gonzales recently qualifying for CIF Division I Finals this past Saturday, Moore shared what he noticed about her mindset.
“She really has a growth mentality,” Moore said. “She never rests on what she did, she’s always wanting to push a little further. I’m always like, ‘Hey let’s be a little conservative,’ but no, she’s always putting her 100 percent in, she’s always pushing, so she really has that championship mentality and is always trying to get better, which you really need for track and field. It’s one of the hardest sports out there.”
Along with her disciplined approach, Gonzales shared what she appreciates most about the sport and its atmosphere.
“One of the great things about track is it allows for a lot of social time,” Gonzales said. “I really love the track community, everyone is so supportive of each other. Plus, in track, you’re constantly competing against yourself, so I look forward to improving my times next season.”
This mindset is what helped Gonzales reach her achievements. Adding onto this, Moore discussed Gonzales’ unique talent.
“Her future is super bright,” Moore said. “I mean very few athletes, sprints specifically, can hold 100, 200 and 400-meter records all at once. It’s kind of unheard of — it’s rare territory.”
Varsity sprinter and Gonzales’ teammate, Alexa Avila (10), recognized Gonzales’ talent both as an athlete and as a person and shared why she thought Gonzales deserved this award.
“Emery deserved Girls Athlete of the Month because she is genuinely such a talented and hardworking athlete,” Avila said. “She somehow still manages to balance track with school and volleyball every day. She is just so humble and despite the fact that she is breaking records, she still manages to encourage others to do their best and push themselves.”
As Avila noted, Gonzales balances multiple sports along with her academic and social life. As a dedicated athlete, Gonzales has grown used to this reality.
“I’ve spent years missing out on social activities because I had a game or a tournament or practice,” Gonzales said. “But I realize most good things in life don’t come without sacrifice and I still believe it’s worth it.”
With any free time amidst her busy schedule, Gonzales enjoys baking, watching true crime documentaries, going to the beach and spending time with her friends. Avila also noted Gonzales’ personal character outside of track and field.
“My favorite thing about Emery as a person is how much she cares about everything she does,” Avila said. “She exceeds in everything like volleyball, school and obviously track, but she also cares a lot about the people around her and is a great person to turn to … She’s so fun to be around — we’re always laughing in and out of track.”
Gonzales keeps her future goals in mind, as she discussed what she aims to pursue in the near future.
“For as long as I can remember, my goal has been to compete as a Division I athlete,” Gonzales said.
Moore reflected on how Gonzales is currently on her way to reaching her goals.
“You know, I’ve had a lot of talented kids, but [Emery] has definitely taken the Torrey Pines female athletic potential to another level,” Moore said. “I don’t know how you can say ‘Wow’ in so many ways, it was just so exciting when I first saw her run … It’s been a great two years of knowing her so far, and I’m looking forward to the next two years.”