Gate S9 at Sea-Tac airport is rarely, if ever, described as a place where dreams come true. Juan Salazar, however, has never had small dreams.

“When I had doubts, they were strong, but I’ve always believed in myself,” Salazar said while waiting to board a brunch-time, Alaska Airlines, flight back to San Diego from Seattle, following a San Diego Sockers away game against the Tacoma Stars. “I knew that one day everything would pay off. I am a religious guy, so I knew God would give me the opportunity to fulfill my dream because I gave my life to this.”

Salazar, a rookie forward with the San Diego Sockers, just two months removed from leading Point Loma Nazarene University in goals scored as a graduate transfer student, made his professional debut with the Sockers on Jan. 13.

“I trained every day for 20 years,” Salazar said. “I never cheated the game. I left my home country to come here, looking for a dream and an opportunity. I always had faith and had family around me who believed in me. When I was down, they would tell me to keep going – keep grinding.”

Born in Medellin, Colombia, Salazar came to San Diego in 2016, enrolling at Mission Hills High School. He spoke little English at first but quickly found soccer is a universal language.

His collegiate career began at Cal State San Marcos. In his lone season at PLNU, the Sea Lions advanced to the second round of the Div. II NCAA Tournament.

“Point Loma was a great opportunity for me,” Salazar said. “It changed my life. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here.”

Back in the 1990s, Sockers general manager Sean Bowers competed against PLNU men’s head soccer coach Phil Wolf as indoor professional soccer players.

That connection put Salazar on Bowers’ radar.

“I gave Phil a call and we texted back and forth,” Bowers said. “He told me he has a player for me who scores goals and would be a great indoor player. The first day I saw Juan out at practice I could tell he had a knack for the goal. He is left-footed and you always want a couple of left-footers on your team – it adds a different dimension.”

In his debut with the Sockers, despite having never played indoor soccer before, Salazar netted his first professional goal in his first professional shift.

“The ball came off the board and I just headed it down,” Salazar said. “I didn’t know what to do or how to celebrate.”

On Jan. 27, Salazar scored his second goal, this time on the Sockers home field at Pechanga Arena, against the St. Louis Ambush.

The moment was particularly impactful for Salazar as his mom, Marth, who doubles as his roommate in an apartment in San Marcos, was in attendance.

“It was so nice to score a goal in front of family and to hear them cheer my name was incredible,” Salazar said.

Going from outdoor, 11-on-11 soccer, to six-on-six, indoor is not an easy transition for everyone.

“There are a lot of players for whom this doesn’t suit their abilities,” longtime San Diego Sockers captain, Kraig Chiles said. “Landon [Donovan] had a difficult time transitioning when he played for us at that point in his career. If your soccer I.Q. is high and your game understanding is high, then soccer is soccer.”

“For Juan, he likes to score and make an impact,” Bowers added. “The biggest thing for me is he wants to get better.”

Salazar acknowledged difficulties in picking up the indoor game but said his biggest asset has been his willingness to learn.

“It is different than everything I am used to,” he said. “I am a person who asks a lot of questions. The main part of indoor is how to defend rather than attack. I have my one-v-one abilities, but it’s the defensive side: follow your man; keep running; freeline rules.

“Never in my 20 years of playing soccer have I played indoors. This team is the best in the league. The guys that play here are legends. I just trying to be like a sponge and learn everything I can.”

At 9-1, the Sockers are tied for first place in the Western Division of the Major Arena Soccer League.

It is a dream realized for Salzar, but he quickly pointed out as his flight began boarding, this is just the start of what he hopes to accomplish.

“My focus is to win a championship with this team,” Salazar said. “I want to make a name for myself. I want to play and get opportunities.”