By: Connor Mahoney, Indy Eleven Communications
Before joining the Indy Eleven technical staff, Assistant Coach Ayoze Garcia cemented his spot as the leader in career appearances for the Boys in Blue in the USL Championship with 120 regular season caps. Ayoze returned to Indy Eleven as an assistant coach on November 9, 2022, after retiring from professional soccer.
“My time here with Indy Eleven was fantastic after five years being a soccer player playing many games for the club and this organization…,” Ayoze said. “The beginning [of coaching] was very difficult… because I used to play a lot every single day, everyday training. And when I see the boys outside practicing, I also want to be involved with them. But now every time [I coach] I enjoy it more. I have grown a lot and even enjoyed my time helping them to be better soccer players.”
Ayoze’s transition to coach involves learning daily. He feels that the coaching staff teaches him in much the same way they did while he was a player.
“When I was playing I learned from every coach and every coach has a different idea and different style of play and from everyone I learned a lot,” Ayoze said. “And now I’m lucky to have [Head Coach] Mark [Lowry]…. He’s very smart…, he is teaching me a lot and this is important for me [because] they are getting me to participate in the sessions and… every day is better. When you’re in a coaching session… you have to control in your mind players training in your team by putting them together and [learn to] control different personalities.”
In addition to the change in mindset, Ayoze said it took a moment for him to adjust to being called coach. The transition has led to him being respected as both a player and a coach.
“It was difficult in the beginning, when… the first day they [the players] started calling me ‘coach.’ Some of the players for me were very weird [since] I shared the locker with them and they were my teammates,” Ayoze said. “But I am very proud of them because they respect me like a player, and they still respect me like a coach. And that’s another good thing that’s made me continue to grow [in my new role].”
While a member of the player roster, Ayoze admits that coaching was not on his radar. Ayoze said his mind was focused on continuing his playing career but when he decided to retire, he made a quick transition.
“[Coaching] wasn’t on my mind because I always [thought] I wanted to continue my career but I found the time to say ‘okay, I don’t want to play anymore,’” Ayoze said. “That’s why the transition was quick with retiring in November…. When the organization offered me the position, I said it could be a great format for me right now… because playing soccer for 30 years, it’s not easy to change your mind. And I told them now I need to find the thing I want to do. And I think that the coaching area is every day learning a lot, and I think [it] could be one of the things I could be doing in the future.”
Furthermore, Ayoze said he was drawn back to Indy Eleven because of the welcoming environment, and his family is comfortable in the Indianapolis area.
“I’m a very lucky guy in order to play here before…,” Ayoze said. “The people here take care of me well… it’s very special I think one of the points is I [came back] because my kids enjoy it and living this type of life here in Indy. The people around [who are in] the club around the Indianapolis area are very nice with us and that’s making everything easy when you are from a different country and all your family’s away so that makes this place special for us.”
Ayoze leads the team’s all-time stats in the USL Championship regular season for minutes played, assists, and appearances; He is also second in points for the club. One of the things Ayoze said he enjoys the most about coaching is being able to provide advice to the players.
“I help the boys [when they] want help… they come to me asking me for advice,” Ayoze said. “That type of thing I’m really enjoying because I’m feeling like they are taking from me good advice. And then it is… more important for me when I try to help them… It makes me feel happy when they come to me.”
Ayoze said he continues to compete in challenges with players after practice to help strengthen their relationship. Continuing to make this place like home, Ayoze said he has been looking to strengthen the family atmosphere at the club.
“This is the environment that we want to create like a family that’s important…,” Ayoze said. “We can demand that on the field, we can demand in every practice and every day and when we are outside [of training] we try to be like a family in this relationship. As coaches and for players to be more open we can talk about any situation because the coaching staff is great…. We are here to help. Normally you try to develop your skill only thinking about soccer as a main thing our goal is that the players feel good… like their family situation. Because when all these things are right. They can give us more things.”
