There was a time when Dominik “Dom” Wicks's future could have gone a very different direction. After returning home from a year living abroad, Dom found himself at a crossroads, drifting away from the sport he loved and making choices that threatened everything he'd worked for.

But in that difficult moment, Dom had a realization about the kind of person he wanted to become. That clarity led him to text Coach Frank Morris, MiraCosta College's head soccer coach and a man who had known Dom's family his entire life. What happened next transformed Dom's life and set him on the path to chase his professional soccer dreams.

Dom grew up in Oceanside, born and raised in a tight-knit family that included his grandparents, great-grandmother, aunt, uncle, mother, and brother all under one roof. Soccer was in his blood from the very beginning, though it was never seen as a requirement. Dom’s father, who played professionally, always emphasized the importance of having fun over winning.

“My dad always wanted me to do what I loved,” Dom shared. “He'd always ask me after every game, ‘Did you have fun?’ Not how did you do, or what was the score, just did you have fun? That was a big thing to me.”

As the years passed, Dom excelled in the sport and became the star player at both his club and his high school. But by senior year, Dom’s commitment began to drift. He shared that he was hanging with the wrong crowd, losing focus on soccer, and getting into trouble.

Then his father, who had been living and playing in Sweden at the time, showed up to surprise his son. Dom was in the midst of a professional academy tryout, and his father wanted to be there to support him. While the family waited to hear back from the coaches at the tryout, Dom’s dad sat him down, and they talked about the challenges Dom was having back home in Oceanside. In that moment, they agreed that it was time for a change. Instead of going back to California and likely falling back into old patterns, Dom decided to move to Sweden.

“Instantly, I was like, I want to go to Sweden,” Dom recalled. “Who can say they've lived in Europe? Not just to be a pro, but to experience something new. I knew it was what I needed in that moment.”

Within weeks, Dom had a passport and was on a plane. While there, Dom played for a professional academy and built a community of friends that shaped who he was.

“Sweden helped me mature a lot as a person, not just as a soccer player,” Dom reflected. “I was around a lot of adults, around that European culture and lifestyle. And the soccer was the most fun I've ever had.”

Unfortunately, that stability and growth environment was taken away abruptly when his residency application was denied. All of a sudden, Dom had to return to California and find a new path.

Back in Oceanside, Dom tried to find his footing. He attended tryouts for lower division teams and things seemed to be going well. But within weeks, he'd reconnected with the same crowd he'd left behind the first time.

This time, the consequences were severe. Dom was arrested for a crime. Wearing an ankle monitor and facing an uncertain future, Dom asked someone for advice. What they said stuck with him.

The mentor challenged Dom, asking, “What kind of person do you want to be? How do you want people to remember you?”

Shared Dom, “Even though it sounds cheesy, it hit me deep. Do I want people to look at me as a person doing bad things? No, I don't want to look at myself like that either.”

That's when Dom reached out to MiraCosta College Soccer Coach Frank Zimmerman.

Coach Frank welcomed Dom to his office immediately. A meeting with Athletic Director Pat Conahan followed, along with introductions to athletic trainer Tony Ontiveros and Shannon in the athletics office. The welcome was unconditional and practical.

Dom still had two weeks left on his ankle monitor when he arrived at MiraCosta College. One of Tony's first conversations with him wasn't about his past or any judgement. It was about logistics. Dom was eager to start anew and get in shape fast. They talked about the best ways to wrap the ankle monitor so he could train comfortably.

Soon after, Dom got his ankle monitor removed just two days before his first game. And he hasn't looked back since.

The MiraCosta College environment gave Dom exactly what he needed: a family that believed in him. He greets Shannon with a hug every time he sees her. Tony asks about his girlfriend, who is also a student athlete. Every conversation focuses on growth.

“Coming to MiraCosta College, I knew I wanted to become a better person,” shared Dom. “This community has been like a second family and it has given me all the tools to succeed. Every conversation has been about how I can get better as a person.”

Now, with renewed opportunity, Dom is ready to take the next step in his journey. He is headed to North Carolina for the summer to play in the semi-professional soccer league with Asheville City SC before enrolling at Cal State Northridge in the fall where he is committed to play in the upcoming season. And his goals are clear. He is training hard to have a strong couple of seasons so that he can get drafted in Major League Soccer or even go back to Sweden to play professionally.

When asked about how far he has come, Dom is open and honest about his winding path from Oceanside to Sweden to an ankle monitor to MiraCosta College. Of course, Dom wishes some chapters hadn't happened, but he recognizes that every setback shaped who he is today.

Shared Dom, “It sucks that it happened, but those experiences definitely made me shape up and realize who I want to be in life.”

The answer, for Dom, involves giving back. Whatever the future holds, Dom wants to return to MiraCosta College and spotlight the place that helped him rewrite his story.