About PiQ & Our Coaches
PiQ Performance Athletics was built with one goal in mind—to give back to our community. As lifelong athletes, coaches, and mentors, we know firsthand the power of sports to shape character, build discipline, and open doors for young people. We opened this facility not just to provide elite training and modern recovery, but to create a safe, inspiring space where athletes of all ages can chase their dreams while learning the importance of hard work, academics, and mental wellness. PiQ is more than a training center—it’s a family-driven movement dedicated to supporting our local youth, guiding them toward college opportunities, and helping them grow into leaders on the field, on the court and in life. By investing in our athletes, we’re investing in the future of our community.
Meet Coach Melvin Vance
With over 20 years of coaching experience, Coach Vance brings a dynamic and disciplined approach to athlete development at PiQ Performance Athletics. A former football player with 15+ years on the field, 5+ years in the boxing ring, and over a decade of experience in strength and performance training, Coach Vance is deeply committed to helping athletes reach their full potential.
He proudly leads as Head Coach of the 16U Rawling Tigers Fastpitch Travel Softball Team in Safety Harbor, FL, where his mission goes beyond wins—he’s passionate about mentoring youth and preparing them for the next level, both in sport and in life.
Coach Vance’s journey is a family affair. His wife and children are all part of the PiQ family—with two daughters whom are currently pursuing college degrees, one entering her sophomore year as a softball player and competitive cheerleader, eager to mentor young athletes chasing scholarship dreams. His youngest, a spirited elementary school athlete, plays flag football and baseball year-round, keeping the competitive energy strong at home.
At PiQ, Coach Vance combines deep experience, family values, and community passion to build better athletes—and even better humans. As a proud co-founder of PiQ Performance Athletics, he brings vision and leadership to the facility, ensuring that every athlete who walks through the doors receive both elite training and mentorship for life.
Meet Coach Gabriella Gonzales
A lifelong multi-sport athlete, Coach Gabriella has excelled in sports, especially softball—earning a college scholarship and competing at high levels from a young age. Often playing above her peers, she developed the grit, discipline, and resilience that now fuel her mission as a coach.
Her passion for performance and athlete wellness goes far beyond the field. Gabriella brings extensive experience in occupational and physical therapy, is a massage therapist, and has spent the past five years building businesses alongside her husband. She’s also a dedicated homeschooling mother of two—raising student-athletes now entering 3rd and 9th grade, both achieving milestones of their own.
What truly sets Gabriella apart is her focus on the full athlete—mind and body. At PiQ Performance Athletics, she leads with a unique approach that blends high-level coaching with a deep understanding of mental health and recovery. She believes in teaching youth why rest, self-care, and mental resilience are just as essential as strength and speed. Through education, support, and example, Gabriella helps young athletes embrace recovery not as a luxury—but as a vital part of performance and personal growth.
Together with her family, Gabriella founded PiQ as a space where athletes not only train hard, but learn to compete with clarity, recover with intention, and grow into confident, well-rounded individuals—on and off the field.
Meet Coach Michael Gonzales
Coach Michael Gonzales is more than an athlete—he’s a mentor, interventionist, and life coach dedicated to helping people live healthier, more purposeful lives. With years of experience in youth sports, CrossFit, heavy weightlifting, and personal training, Michael brings both strength and compassion to PiQ Performance Athletics.
As a nationally recognized interventionist, Michael has guided countless individuals struggling with addiction and mental health toward healing and recovery. His passion for serving others extends beyond the gym, shaping his unique approach to coaching—one that emphasizes not just physical performance, but also mental wellness, resilience, and personal growth.
Michael is the proud husband of Gabriella, and together they founded PiQ Performance Athletics as a family-driven mission to support athletes, families, and the community. His dedication to family and his commitment to uplifting others make him an invaluable part of the PiQ team and an inspiring leader for every athlete who walks through our doors.