PORT ANGELES — The Peninsula College soccer program was built on a foundation of family values, and two members of the Pirate family will continue their careers at the professional level — playing against each other.
Miguel Gonzalez and his brother Daniel Gonzalez, both record-setting players who helped Peninsula win Northwest Athletic Conference championships, recently signed contracts to play in the United Soccer League’s professional division.
Miguel will play for the Colorado Springs Switchbacks and Daniel signed to play for the Oklahoma City Energy.
“It’s been great having my brother as a teammate for all these years,” Miguel Gonzalez said.
“We know how each other plays and that allowed us to connect well.
“Now we will be playing against each other, which will be different, but I’m looking forward to it. It should be a lot of fun.”
The Gonzalez brothers came to Peninsula by way of Yelm.
Miguel played the striker position for the Pirates in 2010 and 2011, leading the men to a West Division championship and an NWAC championship with 15 goals.
In 2011, he set a single-season scoring record with 34 goals. He finished with 49 goals in his career, which stood alone as the school record until Alex Martinez tied it in 2013.
Miguel was picked as the West Region Most Valuable Player award both years at Peninsula.
Miguel went on to play at Seattle University, where he was named the Western Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2013.
Daniel arrived at Peninsula in 2011 to play the position of central midfielder for the Pirates.
The combined efforts of the Gonzalez brothers helped the Pirates to a West Division title and a third-place finish in the NWAC.
Daniel set a new Peninsula single-season assist record in 2011 with 15.
Then, in 2012, he led the Pirates to another West title and a second NWAC title, finishing with a school-record 23
career assists.
He was named to the NWAC West All-Star team both years.
The Gonzalez brothers joined forces again after college, signing with the Kitsap Pumas, a USL Premier Development team out of Bremerton.
During the 2014 season, the former Pirates helped the Pumas to an impressive second-place finish in the PDL, falling to the Michigan Bucks 1-0 in the championship match.
Now the Gonzalez brothers will be competing against each other in the Western Conference of the USL.
“We are proud to claim Miguel and Daniel as alumni and members of our PC family,” said Kanyon Anderson, who served of head coach for the Pirate women but also was heavily involved in the men’s program.
“We wish them the best of luck in their professional careers, and we’ll be paying close attention on April 4 when the Switchbacks and Energy play each other in Colorado Springs.”
Miguel credits his experience at Peninsula for preparing him to be successful at Seattle University and now professionally.
“I owe a lot of my success to that great place,” he said.
“Attending Peninsula allowed me to grow as a player and as a student. It was there where I began to craft my skills both on the field and the classroom. That propelled me to Seattle and where I am now.”
And while Miguel and Daniel may be only Peninsula College siblings to turn pro, they are part of a long line of successful Pirate siblings, including Rylan and Jase Hall, Tony and Trevor Quikel, Matt and Emilia Stefanko, Briana and Trevan Estrellado, twins Brooke and Brittney Yoshimura and twins Kai and Paige Mahuka.
