Marriage and Impending Fatherhood Add to Athlete’s Struggle : Football: Estancia tailback Christian Gomez is able to stay on team after coach helps him find a job.

Estancia football Coach John Liebengood was somewhat surprised when sophomore tailback Christian Gomez wanted to quit the team at the start of the season.

But even more surprising was his reason--impending parenthood.

Gomez, 16, and his 18-year-old wife, Alejandra, are expecting a baby boy in early November.

Saddled with the financial burden and time demands of an expectant father, Gomez told his coach that he had to quit football, and possibly school, and find a job.

Liebengood, not about to give up on a promising, hard-working athlete, huddled with his coaches.

Assistant coach D.L. Houston had a suggestion. He could help Gomez get a job at Pasta Bravo, an Italian restaurant in Newport Beach, if Gomez would stay on the team.

Liebengood would allow Gomez to leave practice at 5 p.m.--a half hour early--so he could be at work by 5:30.

Gomez took the offer.

“The coaches really helped me out by getting me that job,” Gomez said. “Coach D.L. is a really cool guy.”

Young and in love, Gomez and his wife are determined to make a good life for their son. They’re both much younger than the national median age for first-time marriages--23.1 years for women and 25.7 years for men. And they’re among an estimated 150 Orange County teen couples married this year, according to statistics from the county marriage and licensing office.

“Our main goal is to bring up our son as best as we can,” Gomez said. “Everything we’ll do is with him. He’s what we care about. Alejandra and I already know we care about each other, so why worry about us?”

Although struggling financially, they refuse to go on welfare. He works 37 hours a week behind the counter at Pasta Bravo, earning $5 an hour.

Alejandra works part time at West Coast Traffic School, but will take a leave of absence to have the baby.

Most of the money goes to buy things for the baby--a crib, car seat, stroller, toys, blankets and clothes.

“We’ve got everything but the diapers,” he said. “We’re just waiting now.”

The couple lives in a three-bedroom apartment with Alejandra’s parents, Leon and Bertha Aguilar, and Alejandra’s younger brother, Ricardo, a teammate of Christian’s. Gomez hopes to move out someday, if he and Alejandra can save enough money.

“I don’t know where we would be right now without our families and the coaches,” Gomez said. “It has been hard, but we’re making it.”

A year ago, raising a family was the furthest thing from Gomez’s mind.

Christian and Alejandra met at school last fall. Christian was a freshman. She was a senior.

They started as friends, meeting at parties and other school functions. They dated seven months before, as Christian said, “We made a mistake.”

Alejandra got pregnant.

“We were in shock,” Gomez said. “We were both really scared. I didn’t know how to tell my parents, because her parents and my parents got along so well.”

The couple had several options. Alejandra could have the baby and give it up for adoption. She could raise it as a single mother. She could have an abortion.

But the couple, after discussing the situation with their parents, decided to marry and keep the baby.

California state law requires county court and parental consent before teens can marry. Although they had parental consent, Christian and Alejandra avoided red tape by marrying in Ensenada, instead of in the United States.

They were wed May 4 in a ceremony attended only by family and close friends.

“Our friends threw a big party for us when we got home,” Gomez said.

Gomez and his wife are excited about becoming parents. Christian plans to be in the delivery room during the birth.

“It’s going to be a challenge not to pass out,” he said.

Gomez’s sense of humor keeps him going through an exhausting daily schedule.

His day usually starts at 8 a.m., when he leaves for school. After a full day of classes--English, math, history, science and art--he’s off to football practice.

He practices 2 1/2 hours, then leaves at 5 p.m. and heads for work. He’s usually home by 10 p.m. to find Alejandra asleep.

The long days leave little time for homework, which Gomez tries to finish in class or on the weekends. He’s nervously awaiting report cards, which are due next week.

“I should be OK,” he said.

Despite the distractions and time demands, Gomez, 5 feet 11 and 180 pounds, is having a fine season with the Eagles. A starter, he leads the team in rushing with 402 yards.

“If he can stay at Estancia two more years, he could be the best back we’ve had here,” Liebengood said.

Gomez has dreams for himself, as well as his family. He wants to finish school, then play college football or join the Marines. Alejandra hopes to take classes at a local junior college in the future.

Liebengood hopes Gomez can get to college.

“The main thing we want for Christian is for him to stay in school,” Liebengood said. “Regardless of whether he can keep playing football.”

Gomez said marriage and fatherhood have “made me mature a lot faster.”

While most of his friends are concerned with partying and chasing girls, Gomez is making late-night dashes to the local 7-Eleven to satisfy Alejandra’s craving for . . . Canadian seltzer water.

“I think about things more now,” Gomez said. “Before, I was out partying all the time. But now, I have a limit on that. There’s a limit to everything, now.”