At a young age, Steve Gomez realized how important basketball would be in his life. As a child, he moved from Indiana to New Mexico and then to Germany, South Dakota and finally Arlington, Texas, where he stayed for his middle school and high school years.

Even though his locations changed, there was always one constant, basketball.

“I remember, even as a kindergartner and my dad was in the Air Force we were in Germany and first and second, third, fourth grad playing in those just little kid leagues those YMCA leagues back as a little boy,” Gomez said. “It was something that I could go out in the driveway and do in the middle of the summer in Arlington Texas in 100 degree weather and just sort of be by myself and shoot or go to the gym and I think it was a great not hobby but just a great part of my life and I feel like it is, it’s part of my spirit.”

After high school, he played basketball at Lubbock Christian University, but afterwards, it looked like a career in basketball wasn’t in the cards for him.

“I got a job as a teacher in Levelland just as a math teacher and fortunately by God’s grace, ol coach Self, Vic Self, who was at Monterey, now he’s coaching here needed a coach at Monterey High School right when school’s about to start and so it really was almost not to be, not meant to be, and then obviously it was meant to be and so that started a great opportunity for me,” said Gomez.

Gomez coached at Monterey from 1988-95, before he accepted the head coaching position at Lubbock Cooper High School, where remained in that position until 2003. That year, he move on to LCU once again, this time at the school’s women’s basketball head coach, where he’s picked up over 300 wins and a national championship, in 2016.

“I wouldn’t trade that year for anything…or those players. Last year wasn’t the same end result. It was a team also at the end of the year players said they wouldn’t trade their year for a national championship because they loved that team and the environment,” he said. :Right now, I am so excited about this year’s team, but over 15 years, I can’t say there’s any one that’s a favorite just think so many memories, so many good relationships.”

Relationships he still keeps today, beyond the game, which is exactly how he wants it.

“You know, it’s not that big a deal. I just want to enjoy the moments and hope these girls will get to see over the years what life is really about, that it’s not about them and for me that it’s not about me. I ust want it to be a great environment just thankful for the opportunity I’ve had, and so many people, assistant coaches and players that have made it a place that’s fun to be at and it’s fun to go to work and hopefully they’ll just remember someone that tried to keep a perspective about life.”