California State University Northridge Athletics
Coach Rafael Garcia’s Journey Comes Full Circle at CSUN
7/28/2026 12:47:00 PM | General, Men's Soccer
Current CSUN Men's Soccer Assistant coach Rafael "Rafa" Garcia was a standout midfielder for the Matadors from 2007-11. Following his collegiate career at CSUN, Garcia's soccer journey eventually led to two MLS Cup championships with the Los Angeles Galaxy, making him one of the most accomplished former Matador men's soccer players in program history.
Before he ever donned the LA Galaxy crest, a five-year old Rafa found himself in trouble for playing with a soccer ball in the house, breaking things while trying to emulate the players he saw on his TV screen, like Mexican national stars Luis Hernandez and Jorge Campos, as well as inaugural LA Galaxy players in Cobi Jones and Mauricio Cienfuegos. He sat in the stands at the Rose Bowl, falling in love with the LA Galaxy in the early days of Major League Soccer, always believing that one day he could become like the players he saw on the pitch.
Garcia excelled in the club scene, and around the age of 15, his family and scouts could tell there was a real possibility that Garcia could become a special player. Colleges started to pay attention. There was one college in particular that saw the spark from an early age.
Former Matador Greg Avila was Garcia's first club coach. He saw the potential in Rafa from the get go. He would bring him to his college games, and that's where coach Terry Davila met Garcia for the first time.
"You could tell Rafa was different by the way he led teams," Davila said. "He has always been a team-first player. He was never focused on individual accolades. He elevated the people around him and always made his teammates better."
"Terry told me, 'One day you're going to play for us here at CSUN,'" Garcia said.
With his success in both high school and club soccer, Garcia received offers from several Division I programs. Wanting to stay close to home narrowed his decision to UCLA and CSUN. Davila's genuine investment in Garcia's future, coupled with an unfavorable recruiting experience at UCLA, ultimately convinced him to become a Matador.
Davila's biggest impact on Garcia didn't actually come in between the goal posts, it came off the field.
"Coach Davila looked after me from the very beginning," Garcia said. "I remember him sitting in my parents' living room and telling them, 'If he comes here, I'll take care of him like he's my own,' and he lived up to that. As a young college athlete, everything was new to me like balancing school, soccer and the responsibilities that came with it. He helped me through all of that.
"On the field, he was always clear about what he wanted and wasn't afraid to tell you," Garcia added. "He also had a great eye for identifying players who fit his program. He saw something in me that maybe other coaches didn't, and I would do anything for him. I'm still proud to have represented our university, but more than anything, Coach Terry had a lasting impact on me as a person, not just as a player."
In Garcia's freshman year, CSUN matched up against #10 UCLA in September, a game that Garcia had circled long before the season started. Rafa made a statement in his first season, beating the Bruins 3-0 at home in front of a capacity crowd of over 1,000 fans in Northridge. Garcia played all 90 minutes in the win.
Garcia ended up garnering three All-Big West Team selections in his career, including a first-team honor as a senior in 2011. He would play in 68 total games with 63 starts where he totaled five goals, eight assists and 18 points.
Garcia was a second round pick in the 2012 MLS Supplemental Draft and talked about the big adjustment from playing in the NCAA versus Major League Soccer.
"There was definitely an adjustment," he said. "The first week or two of preseason, I remember thinking, 'This is a lot different.' The speed of play was faster, and all of a sudden I was competing with world-class players who had been doing it for years while I was just a rookie coming out of college. There was a learning curve, but I was fortunate to have teammates like Sean Franklin, along with other players I had grown up with, who helped me through the transition. Once I got comfortable and acclimated, I felt like I belonged. I knew I could compete with the best of them."
Garcia made his MLS debut against Real Salt Lake in 2012, a moment he said he'll never forget. "That was the day I could officially call myself a professional soccer player," he said. "No one can ever take that away from me."
Rafa played under legendary American head coach Bruce Arena, whose leadership style left a lasting impression on him. "He had, and still has a special way of making the player at the end of the roster feel just as important as the player at the top of the roster," Garcia said. "Whether it was through conversations or making sure everyone felt involved in what the team was doing, he made every player feel valued. He's a great manager. I tell people that all the time. Not that he isn't a great coach, because he is, but he's exceptional at managing people. He knows how to manage personalities, egos and emotions."
After his playing career ended, Garcia knew he wanted to stay in the game in a coaching capacity. He served as an academy coach with the LA Galaxy, working with multiple youth age groups. Garcia also spent time as the head boys' soccer coach at Sierra Canyon School in 2024 and previously coached at Viewpoint School in Calabasas and Harvard-Westlake School.
Rafa is entering his second year as the assistant coach for the men's soccer team and thinks this group has the potential to be special.
"We have a hungry, motivated group with a really good balance of youth and experience," Garcia said. "Our younger players bring energy, while our veterans know what to expect and can help bring those guys along. We also feel really good about our attacking group and believe we've added players who can help us score goals. More than anything, this team is connected. There's a strong chemistry and camaraderie that we've been building, and we're excited to see that translate onto the field. It's one of the more exciting groups we've had in the last few years."
According to coach Davila, Garcia is looking to add a spark in recruiting. "Rafa looks for players with the right mentality," Davila said. "He's not just looking for talent. He wants players who can stay engaged, remain competitive throughout the entire game and continue to compete when things aren't going their way. He's very good at identifying those players and getting the best out of them."
Looking back on his journey, from a young boy dreaming of wearing a Galaxy jersey to becoming a championship-winning professional and now coaching at his alma mater, Garcia says he wouldn't change a thing. Asked what advice he would give his younger self, his answer was simple.
"I tell people all the time that your path is your path," Garcia said. "Stay focused on what you want to accomplish and don't let outside distractions pull you away from what's important. If I could talk to my younger self, I'd tell him to stay the course. There are going to be good days and bad days, but if you keep working hard and stay committed, more often than not, good things will happen."
