Gabe Garcia
{{Short description|American soccer player}}
{{similar names|Gabriel García (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Gabe Garcia
| image =
| fullname = Gabriel Garcia
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1970|6|8}}
| birth_place = Helotes, Texas, United States
| height =
| position = Forward
| youthyears1 = 1988–1992
| youthclubs1 = UNC Charlotte
| years1 = 1991
| years2 = 1993–1994
| years3 = 1995
| years4 = 1996
| years5 = 1997
| years6 = 1998
| years7 = 1999
| years8 = 1999
| clubs1 = San Antonio Generals
| clubs2 = Greensboro Dynamo
| clubs3 = Myrtle Beach Boyz
| clubs4 = New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers
| clubs5 = Richmond Kickers
| clubs6 = Minnesota Thunder
| clubs7 = Lehigh Valley Steam
| clubs8 = Hershey Wildcats
| caps1 = 16
| caps2 = 31
| caps5 = 23
| caps6 = 26
| caps7 = 10
| caps8 = 4
| goals1 = 8
| goals2 = 11
| goals4 = 6
| goals5 = 5
| goals6 = 0
| goals7 = 1
| goals8 = 0
}}
Gabriel Garcia is a retired American soccer forward who spent his entire career in the SISL and USISL. He won two USISL championships, both with the Greensboro Dynamo.
Youth
Garcia attended UNC Charlotte where he played on the men's soccer team from 1988 to 1992. He was a 1991 second team All American.[http://www.nscaa.com/awards-detail.php?it=I&yr=1991 1991 All Americans] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061115151448/http://www.nscaa.com/awards-detail.php?it=I&yr=1991 |date=November 15, 2006 }} He finished his four seasons with 39 goals in 77 games.{{Cite web |url=http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ncch/sports/m-soccer/auto_pdf/ncch-08-m-soccer-mg.pdf |title=2008 UNC-Charlotte Soccer Media Guide |access-date=2009-01-12 |archive-date=2011-05-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110523120314/http://grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/ncch/sports/m-soccer/auto_pdf/ncch-08-m-soccer-mg.pdf |url-status=dead }} In October 2002, UNC-Charlotte retired Garcia's jersey at the halftime of the Duke-Charlotte soccer game.[http://charlotte49ers.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/spec-rel/022703aaa.html Charlotte 49ers To Retire Men's Soccer's Aidan Heaney's Jersey Saturday]
Professional
In 1991, Garcia, along with his twin brother Carlos, played for the San Antonio Generals during the SISL outdoor season. He scored eight goals in sixteen games that season.{{Cite web |url=http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1991.html |title=The Year in American Soccer – 1991 |access-date=2009-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006190628/http://www.sover.net/~spectrum/year/1991.html |archive-date=2008-10-06 |url-status=dead }} After graduation, they signed with FC Wiesbaden, a German 3rd division team but later moved back to Charlotte for lack of playing time. In 1993, he signed with the Greensboro Dynamo, winning the 1993 and 1994 USISL championships with the team. In 1995, he moved to the expansion Myrtle Beach Boyz. The team lasted one season, but did go to the playoff semifinals. In February 1996, the San Jose Clash selected Garcia in the 12th round (118th overall) in the 1996 MLS Inaugural Player Draft, but waived him in April 1996. He then spent the 1996 USISL season with the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers. He moved again in 1997, this time to the Richmond Kickers. On April 6, 1998, he signed with the Minnesota Thunder.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dansoccerzone.com/mnthunder/news/Display.php?NewsItemId=71 |title=Signings of forward Garcia, defender Chato boost Thunder roster to 20 |access-date=2009-01-12 |archive-date=2016-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304200544/http://www.dansoccerzone.com/mnthunder/news/Display.php?NewsItemId=71 |url-status=dead }} In 1999, he split the season between the Lehigh Valley Steam and the Hershey Wildcats.
Garcia and his brother currently own the El Chaparral Mexican restaurant chain in San Antonio, Texas.{{Cite web |url=http://www.nsidesa.com/business/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=401&Itemid=142 |title=Score One for San Antonio |access-date=2009-01-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714203801/http://www.nsidesa.com/business/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=401&Itemid=142 |archive-date=2011-07-14 |url-status=dead }}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Garcia, Gabe}}
Category:American men's soccer players
Category:Charlotte 49ers men's soccer players
Category:North Carolina Fusion U23 players
Category:Hershey Wildcats players
Category:Lehigh Valley Steam players
Category:Minnesota Thunder players
Category:Myrtle Beach Boyz players
Category:New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers players
Category:Parade High School All-Americans (boys' soccer)
Category:Richmond Kickers players
Category:San Antonio Pumas players
Category:Soccer players from Texas