Gonzalez Jr. heading to local hall
He was 2003 state champion in wrestling
It’s difficult to think of some family names without immediately thinking of something else. The Kennedy’s and politics. The Alou’s and baseball. The Stiller’s and comedy.
But for Vallejo, the last name Gonzalez and wrestling go hand in hand. In about a month you’ll be able to add the words “Hall of Fame” to that list.
On March 14, Bobby Gonzalez Jr. will be inducted into the Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame for his exploits in the sport. Gonzalez is the son of Bob, a longtime coach in the Bay Area. He’s also a brother to Monica and Alyssa, both successful wrestlers in the area in the last 20 years. Meanwhile, Bobby Gonzalez Jr. and Lenci Landacker Pannell, a 2019 Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame inductee, share two kids together.
So it didn’t come as too much
of a surprise when Gonzalez Jr. learned he would be inducted in the 2020 hall class.
“I’ve kind of known for the last two years that I was close to getting in,” Gonzalez Jr. said, with a laugh. “Last year when Lenci got in they were basically telling me I’d be next. Still, when I got a phone call and text from Coach (Mike) Minahen I felt honored. I love this city and I’ve been able to do a ton of stuff in sports and it all came through this town. I feel very proud.”
Gonzalez Jr. was a fourtime Monticello Empire League wrestling champion at Vallejo High and in 2003 won the state wrestling title in the 135-pound weight class. He was also one of the first wrestlers ever at Vallejo High to earn a four-year scholarship as he would head to UC Davis after graduating Vallejo in 2003.
“Both of my parents always told me it’s better to have two avenues to get to college,” Gonzalez Jr. said. “Grades and sports. Of course you don’t really need sports if you get great grades, but I wasn’t a 4-point something GPA student, I was closer to a middle 3 student for GPA. But being a state champion in wrestling also helped my cause.”
Gonzalez Jr. said he’s a “lifelong wrestler” as he started to become involved in the sport very early in his life.
“When I was just a baby my dad was still competing so I’d come to events and play around on the mat,” Gonzalez Jr. said. “Around the age of 4 my dad was teaching me moves and by
the age of 5 I was competing. I played some other sports like soccer and baseball, but I got sick of baseball around the age of 11. I was on an all-star team but hardly came off the bench the entire time. I think at that point I got sick of the whole team sport thing. I like wrestling because it’s all on you.”
At the age of 11 is when Gonzalez realized he was more than just a benchwarmer in wrestling.
I was at a tournament and out of around 130 people I finished in fourth place,” Gonzalez Jr. said. “That’s when it kind of dawned on me, ‘Huh, maybe I’m good at this.’ I’ve never had the most talent, but I always had drive and work ethic.”
That drive and work ethic paid off at Vallejo High, especially in 2003 when the Apache won a state title in Stockton, defeating Bakersfield High wrestler Alex Herrera 3-1.
“I remember telling my dad before the match, ‘If I get a takedown in the first round, it’s over,’” Gonzalez Jr. said. “I was that confident. With all my training I knew I was far from being a fluke. I felt nobody could turn me because nobody had turned me all year.”
Gonzalez Jr. felt great to win the title, but wasn’t about to showboat after the win. After all, his father and Herrera’s dad had gone to the same high school together and knew each other well.
After wrestling at UC
Davis, Gonzalez Jr. used his talents on the mat to help others as he became a successful assistant coach at numerous places like St. Patrick-St. Vincent and College Park. He mostly helps out as an individual coach with recent wrestlers such as his sisters as well as Mason Boutain, a recent star at Benicia High now at San Francisco State.
Gonzalez Jr. said he’d like to one day coach again with his dad.
“It’s really cool sitting in a corner with my dad and coaching,” Gonzalez Jr. said. “Just knowing he’s not going to contradict anything he says. Also, he’s such a student of the sport. He’s still constantly trying to learn stuff.”
Gonzalez Jr. also gave a lot of credit to Minahen, his coach at Vallejo High. Minahen is also a Vallejo Sports Hall of Fame member.
“I’m not super close to him like I used to be and that’s just because as I’ve gotten older we each have gone our separate ways a little,” the 2020 inductee said. “But I love him and I’ll always hold him to a high level and I’m sure he’ll always be a big part of my life in some aspect.”
The 35-year-old Gonzalez has lived in Vallejo but is moving soon to Benicia. Still, he’s looking forward to his big day in March.
“I’m not sure if I plan on having a speech yet or not,” Gonzalez Jr. said. “I may just decide to go from the heart and not write anything down. I am looking forward to seeing a lot of family though, some I don’t see as much as I’d like to. It should be a big day.”