By EDWARD SEVERN, Staff Writer
BROWNSVILLE — Brownsville Hanna Golden Eagles defensive lineman Humberto Garcia will continue his football career at Sul Ross State in Alpine.
“I went for a visit and they sold me,” Garcia said during a signing ceremony Thursday. “I really had a good time up there, and I had a good feeling with them. The coaches really made it feel like home, and the environment there was awesome.”
As a junior interior defensive lineman, Garcia was the District 32-6A defensive player of the year and all-state honorable mention.
“I put in work 24 hours a day, seven days a week for 52 weeks out of the year,” Garcia said. “It has been a tough time, and I could not be more excited to play college football.”
Hanna coach Mark Guess lauded Garcia for his work ethic and sacrifices he made for the team. Garcia moved over to defensive end his senior year to accommodate the Eagles’ needs.
“There are very few guys that I have had in my career that have worked as hard as this guy to get where he is,” Guess said. “He spent his time in the weight room, did not miss a day, was a leader and helped raise the level of people around him. He had a goal to win championships, and he did everything he could to try and help us.”
Moving positions as a senior was no easy task, Guess said, and was just one example of the hard work Garcia put in to the program.
“I am extremely proud,” said Humberto Garcia Sr., the player’s father. “I had him in football since he was a 5-year-old, and ever since then all of the training and practice has led to this moment. I could not be prouder.”
Analisa Garcia, the player’s mother, said, “It has been a long time coming. We have seen him play since he was a kid, so time just went by so quick. We are extremely excited for him to move on to this new chapter in life and cannot wait to see what comes.”
Garcia plans on studying kinesiology and business at Sul Ross.
“I am going to be homesick because it is, like, 10 or 11 hours away, but I am going to love every single second of it,” Garcia said. “It is a blessing that God gave me, and I just could not be happier.”