DALLAS (SMU) - For sophomore goalkeeper Martin Dominguez, family is everything.
 
Like many other collegiate student-athletes, Dominguez is succeeding in his sport because of early familial sacrifices. He remembers getting home from school, maybe grabbing a snack, putting on his soccer gear and getting ready for practice. His dad, Martin Dominguez, Sr., would rush home early from his work as a carpenter, pick Dominguez up and usher him over to practice for a 7:30-10 p.m. workout session.
 
But it wasn't just weekday practices for the Dallas Texans Soccer Club. Dominguez Sr. gave up his weekends to travel for out of state competitions and often spotted the money for flights and gas that Dominguez's scholarships didn't cover.
 
Now, Dominguez wants to pay it forward.
 
"You know, I can change my family's life," Dominguez said.
 
Hailing from Pleasant Grove and Oak Cliff areas of Dallas, Dominguez had familiarity with SMU, but originally committed to Cal Poly, and then to Oregon State after a stellar 2021 season. While competing as the starting goalkeeper for Solar MLSNext, a prestigious soccer club in Dallas, he won Best U19 Goalkeeper of the Year honors and helped lead his team to a Dallas Cup win. Soon after, he made the trek to the northwest, where he knew he could be developed to go pro under the guidance of then-head coach Terry Boss.

Although he won a Pac-12 championship with the Beavers in his freshman season and received an irreplaceable mentor in Boss, he only got minutes at goalkeeper during the 2022 spring season. Most notably, his mom and sister flew out from Dallas to Corvallis for a Mother's Day friendly against Seattle University. He proved himself to be a more-than-competent goalkeeper in that match, saving a penalty kick and propelling Oregon State to a 2-0 win.
 
While feeling thankful for the memories and personal growth experienced at Oregon State, he knew that bigger and better things awaited elsewhere.
 
"When I went to Oregon State, I honestly didn't believe in myself," Dominguez said. "I didn't have confidence because (there were) so many things were coming at me all at once... I was scared, but (Boss) made me believe in myself. I'm so grateful and thankful to have gone to Oregon State, but I had to go on another path to SMU, and I love it over here, too."
 
And what's not to love? Dominguez gets to play with former club soccer teammates JP Jordan, Richard Garcia and Bailey Sparks, his family has easy access to his home games, he records minutes and has access to professional connections at his fingertips.
 
This spring, he was invited to practice with Austin FC, an MLS team located a short three-hour drive from SMU's campus. While the training was only scheduled to be a two-day scouting experiment where coaches could observe Dominguez's skill, work ethic and attitude, it was extended a day after he knocked its coaches' socks off.
 
Even better, he did it in front of Boss, who is now an assistant coach at Austin FC, and a few of his former teammates.
 
"(My dad) says I'm living his dream right now," Dominguez said.
 
When he was 15, Dominguez Sr., his mother and two younger siblings immigrated from Mexico to the United States. With his mom working to provide for the family, Dominguez Sr. had to forgo formal education and took care of his sister and brother to help make ends meet. Additionally, he had to give up his goalkeeping and basketball dreams.
 
"He could have gone pro in Mexico - at least that's what he tells me," Dominguez said, chuckling. "I'm not sure I believe it, but he had to come here to live a better life."
 
Now, Dominguez not only has a high school diploma, but is on-track to graduate from SMU and has a path to play professionally. He also has a large social media following, including 95k TikTok followers, where he often posts vlogs and motivational content, and is sponsored by Celsius.
 
Alongside to share in his success is his mom, who often couldn't attend his games growing up, his dad, who has always made an effort to watch Dominguez compete, and a new found family at SMU.
 
"(At SMU), it feels like another family," Dominguez said. "I feel like I have three families now: my regular family, my family over at Oregon State, and my Mustang family."