Gerardo Álvarez
{{Short description|Mexican gridiron football player (born 1988)}}
{{family name hatnote|Álvarez|Ovalle|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
|name = Gerardo Álvarez
|image = 2019, 73, Gerardo Alvarez Ovalle.jpg
|image_size =
|caption = Álvarez in 2019
|current_team = Dinos de Saltillo
|number = 3
|position = Wide receiver
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|9|15|df=yes}}
|birth_place = Mexico
|height_ft = 5
|height_in = 9
|weight_lbs = 170
|college = UAC (2006–2010)
|cfldraftyear = 2019 LFA
|cfldraftround = 3
|cfldraftpick = 25
|pastteams =
- Dinos de Saltillo ({{LFA Year|2017}}–{{LFA Year|2019}})
- BC Lions ({{CFL Year|2019}}–{{CFL Year|2020}})
- Dinos de Saltillo ({{LFA Year|2020}}–present)
|highlights =
- ONEFA Northern Conference championship (2009)
- LFA Best receiver ({{LFA Year|2017}})
|status = Active
|cflstatus = National
|cfl = gerardo-alvarez/164978/
}}
{{MedalTableTop}}
{{MedalSport|Men's Flag football}}
{{MedalCountry|{{MEX}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|Flag Football World Championship}}
{{MedalSilver|2014 Grosseto|Team}}
{{MedalBottom}}
Gerardo Elías Álvarez Ovalle{{cite web|title=Roster Dinos|url=https://lfa.mx/rosters-lfa-2023/#rosterdinos|website=LFA.mx|access-date=2 March 2023}} (born 15 September 1988) is a Mexican professional gridiron football wide receiver for the Dinos de Saltillo of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA). Álvarez played college football at UAC and previously played in the Canadian Football League (CFL) with the BC Lions.
Early career
Álvarez plays American football since he was a kid, where he earned the nickname "Pewee" for his small and thin complexion. Despite this, he was invited by several college football programs to join their teams. Álvarez chose the Lobos of the Autonomous University of Coahuila, where he played from 2006 to 2010, also majoring in Civil engineering.{{cite web|title=Gerardo Álvarez, un incansable del fútbol americano|url=https://lfa.mx/gerardo-alvarez-un-incansable-del-futbol-americano/|website=LFA.mx|first=Emmanuel|last=Hernández|date=19 July 2020|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Roster Lobos UAC - Liga Mayor - Onefa|url=http://www.terra.com.mx/articulo.aspx?articuloId=855765|website=Terra|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090811194617/http://www.terra.com.mx/articulo.aspx?articuloId=855765|archive-date=11 August 2009|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}
Álvarez became one of the top players of the ONEFA's Northern Conference and was fundamental part of the 2009 Lobos UAC team that won that year's championship after defeating Águilas UACH 31–24 in the final.{{cite web|title=Lobos UAC|url=http://www.cdpro-guia.com/GUIA-2009/UAC.pdf|website=CD-Pro Guía|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Gana Lobos título de Conferencia Norte de la ONEFA|url=https://vanguardia.com.mx/deportes/3163715-gana-lobos-titulo-de-conferencia-norte-de-la-onefa-APVG3163715|website=Vanguardia|agency=Notimex|date=21 November 2009|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}
After finishing his college football eligibility in 2010, Álvarez played flag football and was part of the Mexican team that won the silver medal at the 2014 IFAF Flag Football World Championship.
Professional career
=Dinos de Saltillo=
In 2016, Álvarez was one of the first players to be signed by the Dinos de Saltillo of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA), Mexico's top American football league, ahead of the 2017 LFA season, Dinos' debut season in the league.{{cite web|title=Define Dinos de Saltillo su roster rumbo a la temporada 2017|url=https://vanguardia.com.mx/deportes/futbol-americano/define-dinos-de-saltillo-su-roster-rumbo-la-temporada-2017-GBVG3280314|website=Vanguardia|first=Alejandro|last=Guerrero|date=17 January 2017|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}
In 2017, Álvarez helped the Dinos to reach the Tazón México II, LFA's championship game, in the team's maiden season. Dinos lost the game 18–24 against Mayas CDMX and Álvarez scored one touchdown.{{cite web|title=Tazón México II|url=https://lfa.mx/partido/tazon-mexico-ii/|website=LFA.mx|date=17 January 2017|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}} Álvarez was awarded as the 2017 LFA's best receiver.{{cite web|title=Premia Liga de Futbol Americano a lo mejor de la temporada 2017|url=https://www.20minutos.com.mx/deportes/noticia/premia-liga-de-futbol-americano-a-lo-mejor-de-la-temporada-2017-321880/0/|website=20minutos.es|agency=Notimex|date=19 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180316214114/https://www.20minutos.com.mx/deportes/noticia/premia-liga-de-futbol-americano-a-lo-mejor-de-la-temporada-2017-321880/0/|archive-date=16 March 2018|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}
In 2018, Álvarez established a new LFA record for most touchdowns in a single match, in a game against rivals Fundidores de Monterrey, scoring four touchdowns.{{cite web|title=Dinos vs Fundidores|url=https://lfa.mx/partido/4480/|website=LFA.mx|date=17 March 2018|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Gerardo Álvarez de Dinos logró 4 recepciones de touchdown|url=https://www.maximoavance.com/2018/03/gerardo-alvarez-de-dinoss-logro-4-recepciones-de-touchdown/|website=Máximo Avance|date=21 March 2018|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}
=BC Lions=
Álvarez was selected by the BC Lions as the 25th pick of the third round of the 2019 CFL–LFA Draft.{{cite news|url=https://www.cfl.ca/2019/01/14/mexicos-top-talent-selected-cfl-lfa-draft/|title=Mexico's top talent selected at CFL-LFA Draft|publisher=cfl.ca|date=14 January 2019|access-date=2 March 2023}} Álvarez joined the BC Lions, alongside fellow countryman Fernando Richarte.{{cite web|title=LFA Total… En palabras de Gerardo “Pewee” Álvarez|url=https://lfa.mx/lfa-total-en-palabras-de-gerardo-pewee-alvarez/|website=LFA.mx|first=Cinthya|last=García|date=5 June 2020|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}
Álvarez was signed to the practice roster and made his CFL debut on 15 June 2019 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers.{{cite web|title=BC Lions Transactions|url=https://www.bclions.com/transactions/|website=bclions.com|access-date=2 March 2023}}
Álvarez remained on the Lions' roster but returned to Mexico to play the 2020 LFA season with the Dinos, but the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news|title=Sueña con regresar|url=https://www.pressreader.com/mexico/zocalo-saltillo/20200506/282364041847059|newspaper=Zócalo|first=Gerardo|last=Alvarado|date=6 May 2020|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}{{cite web|title=Coronavirus obliga a cancelar temporada 2020 de la LFA|url=https://www.espn.com.mx/futbol-americano/nfl/nota/_/id/6900177/lfa-cancela-temporada-2020-pandemia-coronavirus|website=ESPN.com.mx|date=30 April 2020|access-date=2 March 2023|language=es}}
Álvarez was re-signed by the Lions for the 2020 CFL season, but the season was not played.
=Return to Mexico=
After being released by the BC Lions, Álvarez has played for the Dinos de Saltillo.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.bclions.com/players/gerardo-alvarez/164978/ BC Lions profile]
{{Dinos de Saltillo}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Álvarez, Gerardo}}
Category:Mexican players of American football
Category:Mexican players of Canadian football
Category:American football wide receivers
Category:Mexican expatriate sportspeople in Canada
Category:Canadian football wide receivers