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Peoria Times
SPORTS
October 28, 2021
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Gutierrez draws on life experiences to make history when the Los Angeles Kings hosted various youth camps. Cronkite News Because of these camps, GutiXavier Gutierrez, the president and errez’s three nephews played chief executive officer of the Arizona hockey as their first sport. Coyotes, hadn’t planned a career path “I’ve seen it,” Gutierrez said. that would involve ice and hockey “I’ve seen what can happen pucks. He was going to be a soccer star. when a club comes in and really “My first dream was to be a forward makes some intentional effort to for Chivas de Guadalajara,” Gutierrez go into the Latino community said. and embrace them.” C.D. Guadalajara is a Mexican proAs his hockey acumen grew fessional football club, but many fans and he witnessed the sport’s imknow the team by its nickname, Chivas. pact on specific communities, Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, GutierGutierrez unknowingly prerez grew up a Chivas fan, as so many pared for the role he is in today. do in the state because of the popularity “These experiences are very of the soccer team. core to who I am,” Gutierrez Even after his family moved to the said. United States when Gutierrez was in According to the Hispanic kindergarten, he remained a Chivas fan Chamber of Commerce, Hisbut grew to love other sports while be- Xavier Gutierrez’s path to the Coyotes started when he was at Harvard and ran into one panics make up 30% of Ariof the university’s hockey players at a bookstore. (Photo by Savannah Nugent/Cronkite News) zona’s population and 40% of ing raised in San Jose, California. After watching the legendary MexiPhoenix metro. The communican pitcher Fernando Valenzuela on the watch a game. once again made an impactful appear- ty is a significant portion of the state’s Eventually both Gutierrez and Mar- ance with the arrival of the San Jose population, and Gutierrez understands mound, Gutierrez became a Dodgers tins would end up working in the NHL. Sharks in 1991. fan for life. He also admired Oakland this. football coach Tom Flores, the NFL’s Martins played for a string of NHL “I saw them take over San Jose and “It’s about doing things differently, first minority head coach to win a Super teams for more than a decade, while really become the team of my home- doing things intentionally and doing Gutierrez got involved with the league town,” Gutierrez said. Bowl, and became a Raiders fan. things authentically,” said Gutierrez, But when did hockey become a part more recently following a 20-plus year The Sharks were the first NHL fran- who is also a graduate of Stanford Law career as a business executive and in- chise to be based in the San Francisco School. of Gutierrez’s life? “I’ll be the first one to admit, never vestor. When Coyotes owner Alex Mer- Bay Area since the California Golden Gutierrez was the brains behind adddid I ever imagine that I would be in uelo offered him the role, the hockey Seals relocated to Cleveland in 1976. ing a unique addition for the Coyotes, club made historical strides as Gutiersports, be in hockey,” Gutierrez said. “I have friends, Latinos, who when the Latino Advisory Council. The Life has a funny way of introducing rez became the first Latino president/ the Sharks came to town, probably group is chaired by Gary Trujillo of opportunities. Hockey entered Gutier- CEO in NHL history. couldn’t have told you what a puck the Be A Leader Foundation and is coThough it’s his first job working with was,” Gutierrez said. “And who are chaired by David Adame, president and rez’s world while he was a freshman at Harvard, studying government. During hockey in any aspect, the sport’s un- now rabid Sharks fans.” CEO of Chicanos Por La Causa, and a visit to the campus bookstore, Guti- tapped influence has intrigued him for Hockey continued to play a role in Monica Villalobos, president and CEO errez ran into Steve Martins, a Har- decades. After Gutierrez returned to his Gutierrez’s life as the sport captivated of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of vard hockey player, who invited him to Bay Area home from college, hockey some of his extended family members. Commerce. Gutierrez watched hockey influence “From a strategy standpoint, the Arthree of his nephews in East Los An- izona Coyotes haven’t reserved themCatch up on geles, a predominantly Hispanic com- selves to things that are only related to Local Peoria News! munity. ice hockey or sports,” Villalobos said. Even though it wasn’t the most pop“They’re going out there in the comwww.PeoriaTimes.com ular sport in East LA, things changed SEE HOCKEY PAGE 17 BY VALENTINA MARTINEZ
