Coleton Pouquette commits to Utah Tech
Yuma Catholic's senior is headed to St. George to play at the Division I Level
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - Coleton Pouquette's biggest football moment did not come under the Friday night lights.
Instead, it came surrounded by family, coaches and teammates at Yuma Catholic, where the senior offensive and defensive lineman signed his letter of intent to continue his career at the Division I FCS level with the Utah Tech Trailblazers.
For Pouquette, the milestone represented more than an individual achievement.
"It takes a village to get me here and it takes a lot of people," Pouquette said. "I'm super grateful, and there's a lot of wise minds that I’ve picked stuff from, which is why I'm here today."
That village, he said, includes coaches, teachers, faculty members and, most importantly, his family, all of whom played a role in helping him reach the next level.
Pouquette's commitment to the Utah Tech Trailblazers is the result of a yearlong recruiting process that strengthened his connection with the program.
He attended camps, made multiple visits to campus in St. George, Utah, and built relationships with the coaching staff that ultimately made his decision clear.
"I think I'm super excited about this coaching staff, first of all," Pouquette said. "It's been a year of recruiting with them, going up there and doing a camp, going up there a couple of times on visits and stuff, and they've just welcomed me with open arms. I'm excited to get to work."
As he prepares to head to St. George this fall, Pouquette said his goals extend beyond football.
At Yuma Catholic, he hopes to be remembered not just for his performance on the field, but for the example he set within the program and the community.
"I think a family legacy is important for me too," he said. "There's a big family history here of success, especially in sports, and I'd like to carry that out. I want to be that guy that helped people out, been humbled throughout the process and obviously leave a legacy on the field. If I'm one of those guys that people look around and say, 'That was a dude that was good here,' and left an impact on the school and community, I think that’s super important to me.”
With his high school career complete, Pouquette also hopes his path can serve as motivation for the next generation of Shamrocks chasing similar dreams.
"Everyone's got their own path," Pouquette said. "Just work hard, really be persistent. That's what helped me. There's been a lot of times that I've been down in the dumps. My mom and dad are the ones in the car driving back with me after a bad camp, helping me through those hard times. The coaches here, too. Look to the people around you — your parents, coaches, older people. Pick their minds. I'd say that's the best advice I could give."
Though his chapter at Yuma Catholic has closed, Pouquette's football journey is just beginning, now at the Division I level, with the same support system that helped him reach this point.
