Unfinished business

Former Cibola track & field star seeks to continue in this sport.

Yuma native, Daniel Ochoa just completed his high school journey as a student athlete; but he's not ready to leave behind the sport he loves.

Up to his senior season, Ochoa developed and thrived on the Cibola Raiders track & field program.

Going into this Spring, he had become one of the leaders on the Raiders squad, and was up for local and potentially even state honors in the triple jump event.

But, before the early season Phoenix Invitational came to an end, the season came to halt.

The Coronavirus Pandemic forced virtually every sports locally and beyond to shut down; ending Ochoa's hopes of capping off his athletic career with the gold and black.

"Well, it was definitely a surprise for me. I was just trying to be hopeful. Maybe it was going to have a little peak and then go down, so we can get our season back. Nothing ever seems to come up, so you are more and more concerned or sad I would say. Just because I would lose my senior track season and that was what I was looking forward to."

Even through the disappointment, Ochoa had already secured his place at Arizona State University; but still has the desire to compete.

In early May, Ochoa got word of an unaffiliated track & field event that is slated to take place in Mid-June; an event he plans to enter.

"So, I'm probably going to be able to participate in that, so that basically is my encouragement right now. To at least try to get one last meet in. See what I can do, how I can represent Yuma. Not Cibola necessarily, because nothing can be school affiliated. But, as long as I can represent myself, Yuma, then I'll be happy if I can end that off on a good note."

In addition to his plans on majoring in Sports broadcast journalism at ASU, Ochoa is planning on training and getting into collegiate shape to attempt to walk on with the Sun Devils track & field program.