Family Treasures

Georgia Gwinnett College Head Women’s Soccer Coach Dr. Mike Giuliano has been building rosters and caring for student-athletes for more than 40 years. So, when he tells parents of recruits that he will look after their daughters as if they were his own, Giuliano only needs to look at his own life experiences.

Mike and his wife, Barbara, share their love with a family of five children, mostly through adoption. The Giulianos have a biological son, Josh, but adoption was something the couple had discussed, in large part due to Mike being adopted into a home as a boy.

After several miscarriages the Giulianos began the process to expand their family while Mike was winning NAIA national championships at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California.

“The idea of biological versus adoption has never come up because I love my five kids unconditionally and I think they love us. If you have love to give it is going to be just as special as if you have a biological child,” remarks Mike during a recent interview.

They first adopted Justin and Linnae followed a couple years later.

With the life of any coach, moving is inevitable. That meant the Giuliano family planted new roots in San Diego (as Mike coached at NCAA Division I San Diego State University) and Chicago (to lead NCAA Division III Wheaton College) while all three children were in school.

Moving can be difficult for any family, especially one with younger children, but the Giulianos saw it as a positive step for their interracial family to strengthen their relationships.

While living in the Chicago suburbs, Mike and Barbara befriended another family with three children, one in college and two teenagers that were living alone. A few years of doing life together, sharing holidays, meals, and special events, all five Giulianos extended an invitation for them to join the Giuliano family for Christmas break.

The family soon grew to have five children (one declined to join in).

“It’s important for children to have a support system, no matter their age. That’s what we were there to provide them,” mentions Mike.

That mission to help others in need led the Giulianos to the Atlanta area, where Barbara began applying her skills to join the battle against human trafficking, a growing national concern, as a full-time staff member with the non-profit Wellspring Living organization.  

“Barbara is the least complaining person I know,” Mike states. “I was at Wheaton and we had just played for the (Division III) national championship. I was satisfied professionally, building a strong program and had no plans of going anywhere. She mentioned that her one regret in life was being committed to anti-human trafficking and never able to do it full time.”

The coach continues, “Where it is written that I get to decide where we live and do what I want, because we had moved around the country as I did what I loved (coaching).” 

So, unbeknown to Barbara, Mike reached out to Wellspring Living, the family moved to the metropolitan Atlanta area, and she began helping and protecting others.

“I began doing research and learning more about human sex trafficking and what was being done in the United States. As I realized that (trafficking) affects every aspect of the population, I knew there was a lot of work to be done in this area,” Barbara says.

Mike adds, “It is everything to me. To see the lives that she has touched is so rewarding. We’re both doing something that gets us up each morning.”

“Adult adoption is picking up steam in the last few years and was fairly smooth because they could speak for themselves,” describes Mike. “When we started (adopting) in California there was so much red tape that you began to question if it was going to happen. Also, for a full year, the birth parents could change their minds. You could have this child in your home for a year and they could be removed from your family.”

Not surprisingly soccer has been a connection within the Giuliano family. Josh was a goalkeeper who played in college, Justin played two years, and Linnae was a decorated high school player in Illinois whose playing career was curtailed by a variety of physical injuries. She then joined her father on the sidelines as an assistant coach at Greater Atlanta Christian School and then GGC for the 2017 campaign. Jewell also played in high school.

“The family basically followed Mike around the soccer field,” says Barbara. “We have pictures of the kids in strollers being pushed along the sidelines at games. I have incredible memories of the kids being ball boys and girls from the time they were 6-7 years old to then helping out at GGC games. Soccer has been a part of our family culture.” 

At Georgia Gwinnett College, Mike has guided the Grizzlies to eight conference championships, nine NAIA national tournament appearances, and the program’s only two NAIA postseason triumphs. Overall, he has amassed 498 career victories, coached four national championship teams, and earned eight national Coach of the Year awards over 37 years.

And the family connection and relationships Mike has created within each team can be found within the Giuliano household.

“Mike does a great job of balancing being a coach and a dad. He knows how valuable family time is and the players see that family is important,” notes Barbara.

Mike encourages others to consider adoption and the immeasurable impact these relationships can have for a family.

So, no matter how many wins Mike Giuliano has collected on the soccer pitch, the greatest victory in life has been the impact he has had on his family and collegiate student-athletes.