Karina Gonzalez
Coaching Experience: 12 years total coaching, 9th season at Pierce College. Pierce is the only school he’s worked at, but he coaches 25 teams at the Santa Monica Beach Club.What are your thoughts about your current Pierce volleyball team?They’re very physically athletic. They’re not the best volleyball players yet, but I have no doubt that by November they will have greatly improved. They don’t have a lot of experience, but they have great work ethic. I’m very selective when it comes to recruiting. The players I recruit have to be a good fit.How do you feel about your team being the 2006 state championship runner up?It feels great. We had an awesome team, an awesome season. We peaked at the right moment at the state tournament up in Fresno. Because of that, I have a lot of great memories that I will never forget.Do you consider yourself a hard or easy teacher?I’m tough when I need to be tough, but I’ll also give a pat on the back. What makes a good teacher is when you learn to balance things. I guess that’s what they call “tough love.”
FACTSCareer winning record: 126 wins, 28 losses.Grew up playing volleyball in Lebannon and moved to California at age 18.Graduated from UCLA in 1997.Has a degree in electrical engineering, but always wanted to coach.
Student’s thoughts:”I think that Nabil is a really great coach. He demands a lot out of his players. You can tell that he has a love for the game and cares deeply for the people he coaches. I have an emmense amount of respect for him.” –Ebony Tidwell, 4th-year member of the Pierce women’s volleyball team.