Club’s All-time Leader in Appearances & Assists to Serve as Assistant Coach Following 19-year Professional Career
Indy Eleven is proud to announce that Ayoze Garcia Pérez will continue to represent Indiana’s Team in 2023 as an Assistant Coach on the Technical Staff of Head Coach Mark Lowry.
“Bringing Ayoze onto our Technical Staff was a very easy decision. His professionalism and career speak for themselves, he is respected as a player and person throughout the global soccer community, and his knowledge and experience will make us a stronger group of coaches,” explained Lowry, who will serve his second season at the helm of the Boys in Blue in 2023. “We are excited to see him grow into his role and contribute to bringing future success to the club.”
The man known to most simply as Ayoze brought a storied playing career to an end last month following the Eleven’s 2022 USL Championship regular season. The midfield maestro’s nearly two-decade run included over 400 professional appearances across his native Spain (CD Tenerife, Las Palmas & Sporting Gijón) and the United States (Indy Eleven & New York Cosmos).
“After 19 years as a professional player, today I have decided to put an end to this chapter. I will continue to enjoy this sport that I am so passionate about, just now in another position,” Ayoze said. “I want to thank the club and Mark Lowry for giving me the opportunity to be part of the coaching staff. I am eager to learn and continue making history with Indy Eleven.”
Ayoze finished his record breaking five seasons with the Boys in Blue from 2018-22 as the club’s career leader in games played (126), games started (106), and assists (22), and placed tied for fifth with 13 goals. He is one of just three players to appear in games across five seasons for Indiana’s Team, joining his contemporary Karl Ouimette (2018-22) and “Eleven Original” Brad Ring (2014-18) on that distinguished short list.
“The Indy Eleven family is excited for Ayoze to build upon his unparalleled legacy with our club in this new role,” stated Indy Eleven President & CEO Greg Stremlaw. “The decision to embark upon this next step in his career here speaks volumes to the culture that his class and character contributed so much towards over the last five years.”
Today’s news marks the first of numerous announcements regarding the 2023 edition of Indiana’s Team to be made in the coming days and weeks; fans can stay tuned to indyeleven.com and the club’s @IndyEleven social media channels for the latest updates.
