The San Diego native made his debut at 16 and becomes the ninth teenager on the Kickers 2025 roster.
The Richmond Kickers are pleased to announce the signing of Jonathan Gomez to an academy contract pending league and federation approval.
With his commitment, Gomez becomes the fifth member of the 2025 Academy Class and the ninth teenager to sign with the Kickers for the year.
“Jonathan is a young player with great experience and exposure to the professional game,” Chief Sporting Officer and Head Coach Darren Sawatzky said. “He is a clever orchestrator in the midfield and his smile is infectious. He is a natural fit to our locker room and he proves his ability each day in training.”
Originally from San Diego, Gomez first played for San Diego Surf academy before transferring to play with Orange County SC (OCSC) on his first academy contract.
Less than a month after signing, the then-16 year old made his professional debut for Orange County. Gomez played in first team games for the USL Championship side, consistently training with the first team while garnering a plethora of minutes with OCSC II — the club’s academy side.
Gomez would ultimately captain the academy side for Orange County and would go on to earn the most assists in the USL Academy league during his time there.
Now, the 19-year-old looks to take the next step in his career, moving across the country to pursue his dreams and contribute to the drive towards further success here in Richmond.
“As the game in the United States evolves, we want to continue to keep pace with helping young American players get opportunities,” Sawatzky said. Jonathan is a great example of a hungry player willing to take on a challenge in a new environment.”
“I’m excited to join this group of players who consistently motivate me to push my limits,” Gomez said. “I’m here to perform for myself and the amazing fans that consistently show up for us. It means so much to me to be a part of such a historic team with such a rich background, I’m ready to prove why I deserve to be here and can’t wait to get started!”
