When Max Gomas left home to attend Emory University and play collegiate soccer, his younger brother Alex was just nine years old. Nearly a decade later, Alex would follow a similar path—this time to the University of Chicago, also as a soccer student-athlete.
“I always knew I wanted to play soccer,” Max recalled, “but that wasn’t my primary factor in choosing Emory. Academics and family came first. Emory offered the ideal combination: strong academics, competitive athletics, and proximity to home.” Raised in nearby Snellville, Georgia, Max attended Greater Atlanta Christian High School before starting his journey at Emory.
At the time, Alex was still in elementary school, but he remembers vividly what it meant to the family. “I didn’t understand how big those decisions were, but I knew Max was going to Emory and that it was a huge deal. It felt like a dream come true—for him and for all of us,” Alex said. “We went to a lot of his home games. I remember the concrete stands and how they made the field feel massive. Watching him play gave me this immense pride. He was on top of the world, and it inspired me.”
The brothers share a similar style of play—aggressive, physical, and unafraid of confrontation on the field. “I learned a lot just by watching him,” Alex said. “He would come home during breaks, and we’d train together. I always picked up on the little things he taught me.
When it came time for Alex to choose his own college, Max became a sounding board and mentor. “It was surreal to watch him go through the recruiting process,” Max said. “I had been there before and could offer some perspective. I’d say, ‘Here’s what I experienced and how I approached it.’ It was a privilege to be involved in that way.”
Alex’s decision came down to Dartmouth and UChicago. “I felt a lot of pressure from friends with different opinions, but my family had my back no matter what,” Alex explained. “Max helped the most. He had me write out the pros and cons for each school, and he emphasized something that stuck with me: respond, don’t react. That made all the difference. I originally thought I wanted to play Division I, but once I visited UChicago, I just knew—it was the right fit. I’ve never regretted it.”
One of the most meaningful moments in their bond came when Max helped move Alex into college. “I took time off work and met him in L.A., then we took the train to Chicago together,” Max shared. “To be there from the early conversations all the way to moving day was a gift. That’s not lost on me.”
Max continues to follow Emory soccer closely and supports his alma mater—except when they’re playing UChicago. “That switch happened instantly,” he said, laughing. “I’ll always root for Emory, but family comes first.” For Alex, playing against Emory carries special weight. “It feels like it all comes full circle. It’s a surreal moment every time.”
Max has taken his Emory degree around the world—living in Amsterdam as a currency broker, earning an MBA in Barcelona, and now working in financial technology in Los Angeles. But at his core, he’s always been a salesman. “I’ve sold cars, life insurance, even gym memberships while I was at Emory,” he said. “That helped me launch my own personal training business. Now I’m selling fintech—but through it all, one thing has stayed constant: breaking a sweat every day is non-negotiable.”
Alex, too, has embraced a lifestyle grounded in fitness and focus. Now a rising senior at UChicago, he’s currently preparing for the LSAT with plans to attend law school in California. “I’ve been putting in serious time studying,” he said. “I could see our whole family ending up in California. That feels like the next chapter.”