Kings march onto athletics past high school

Five soccer, one volleyball and one Special Olympics player are taking the next steps in their athletic journeys

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - It was a celebratory afternoon at Kofa High School as seven student-athletes signed to continue their academic and athletic careers at the next level.

Kiya Sayre, Liam Lansford, Antonio Andrade, Leo Rodriguez, Jorge Castillo, Ivan Lopez and David Gross were honored in a signing ceremony at the Kingdom, marking the next step in their athletic journeys.

The day was highlighted by soccer talent, though Sayre and Gross stood out for their accomplishments in volleyball and Special Olympics competition.

Sayre is headed to Webber International University, a milestone she said once felt out of reach.

“I’m really, really excited,” Sayre said. “Personally, when I first started playing little, like I never saw myself going anywhere. It was just like something to do.”

She credited her mother as a driving force behind her development and belief in pursuing the sport at a higher level.

“I think what really pushed me into being here today was definitely my mom,” Sayre said. “When I was younger and I was keeping up and I see everyone else playing, like it’s not just playing because they were told to, but because they want to. And being a part of that and experiencing that level of play is just like, no, I want that too. I want to be someone I never thought I could be.”

Parental influence was a common theme among the signees. Castillo, who will play soccer at Nelson American Indian College alongside teammates Andrade and Lansford, said his father introduced him to the sport at a young age.

“He introduced me to this game when I was at a young age,” Castillo said. ”My dad, he just threw the ball on me when I was a little kid, just started kicking, and I just went along with it as I grew. And then once I got into high school, I took it more serious because I knew you can go to college for it.”

The steady pipeline of talent is something head coach Jamie Nicewander takes pride in, pointing to the community’s work ethic and passion for the game.

“We have a great community around this area, and working in this community makes it easy as a coach, to be honest,” Nicewander said. “There’s a good, hard work ethic that’s instilled in kids at a young age here, and we can see it in our athletes. You combine that with a passion for soccer, and it props up some great athletes, some great student-athletes.”

Nicewander added that the soccer program has now sent 100 players to the next level during his tenure, a milestone he said reflects years of development and commitment.

Among the group, Rodriguez leaves behind a lasting legacy at Kofa as the program’s single-season leading goal scorer. He will continue his career at Arizona Western College, where he hopes to help the Matadors reach new heights.

“I’m very excited. I think I worked pretty hard for this,” Rodriguez said. “It’s been a lot of years. At the end of the day, we all work to get better, and it comes to a better place. I think this is the spot where I fit in.”

Rodriguez said his goals extend beyond simply competing at the next level.

“I’m trying to be a champion,” he said. “I’m going to bring it all to make that team better than what it already is.”

With a strong group of athletes moving on and a supportive community behind them, Kofa’s latest signing class reflects both individual achievement and the continued growth of the program.