Central football holds college Q&A
Former Spartan student athletes return to Central to give advice on making it to the collegiate level.
EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) - Central football hosted a unique meet and greet on Wednesday, featuring former Spartan student athletes currently playing college football. The panel session allowed the former Spartans to share some of their experiences and answer questions from younger student athletes aspiring to play at the next level.
"It is important for our community to understand what it takes to play at the next level, but also to aspire to play at the next level," Central head football coach Rookie Pena said.
The panel consisted of seven former Spartans who have found success at the next level: Jordan Reed (Montana State), Skylar Cook (New Mexico), Angel Nava-Esparza (Briar Cliff University), Charlie Sullivan (Cal Poly), Isaiah Martin (SMSU), Brennan Havens (Ottawa AZ), and Gavin Marini (Benedictine College).
"Just to tell the kids that you can do it," Reed said. "You know I was, same as the kids up there, we weren't really looked at a lot. You know, we were small town kids, not a lot of attention coming to us. Just being able to show the kids that you can do it. It doesn't matter where you as long as you have the drive, the will and the want."
At the collegiate level, the competition ramps up in every aspect of life.
"Most important is competition, is competing," Pena said. "As these players talked about, competing with players all over the United States. Everyone is all conference, everyone is all state."
"Being at the next level and competing, everyone is going to be just as fast just as strong as you, if not stronger," Cook said. "So I think the thing that separates the greats from the rest is that mental and game film. Just the small things you can do to separate yourself can really help."
Throughout the session, the players stressed the importance of balancing both academics and football.
"If I can do it anyone, can do it," Nava-Esparza said. "Balancing school and football is not the easiest, but it is definitely doable if you set your priorities straight and you make sure you are getting things done."
One of the biggest lesson a college-aspiring athlete needs to learn, is to be able to overcome adversity.
"The biggest misconception is that you are going to go in there and light the world on fire," Pena said. "That doesn't happen. You have to go in there with a chip on your shoulder and understand that you are there to be a studet athlete. And you are also there to compete."
The panel also shared how their experiences have helped prepare them for life after football.
"Whatever happens to me and whatever path I take, I know that college football has prepared me not just as a human being, but as a man," Reed said. "Being able to have all these experiences with your brothers, your coaches, all that good stuff builds a commoradory and really helps you mature and become the man you want to be"
Pena hopes to continue and grow sessions like this one in the years to come. He hopes they can inspire more young athletes across the desert southwest.
