Miguel Velázquez Cantú is self-proclaimed supporter of head coach Vanessa Martínez Lagunas. For the past twelve years, the two have formed a duo that have taken charge of various clubs from Mexico to the United States, Germany and now, the Manitoba Bisons.
Velázquez-Cantú’s first exposure to soccer came during his youth in Toluca. It was there which the now-Bison’s assistant coach took his first steps in the sport.
“Soccer was very popular in Mexico. I was playing with family and with friends – I never played on a team, it was only a hobby," he said.
In the 1996 Summer Olympics, the recognition of women’s soccer at the tournament captivated Velázquez Cantú, and he took more the sport as more than just a hobby.
“After the Olympics in Atlanta when women’s soccer officially started to participate in the Olympics, I became very interested in women’s soccer. I met Vanessa and she was very interested in having a career in women’s soccer. We became friends and then partners and now, we travel together.”
Today, he holds an intricate job as second-fiddle in the Manitoba Bisons coaching ranks.
“My role is to support her. She needs to have more free time to carry out her activities. She’s a coach, a FIFA instructor and a researcher of soccer, so she needs a lot of help to make everything possible.”
