By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
Jorge Deza’s days begin and end with a one-hour bike ride from Matamoros to Brownsville Porter.
The journey isn’t easy, but Deza is no stranger to obstacles. He chooses to endure the blistering Texas heat, strong winds and rain because he and his mom believe in the opportunities an education can provide. Another benefit is being part of the Porter Cowboys soccer program, which is filled with people who have a passion for soccer just like Deza.
Deza’s position is backup goalkeeper, but he’s much more than that. In his two years in Brownsville, Deza has been a player-manager for Porter, always going above and beyond to lend a helping hand. That characteristic, driven by his desire to “give more than what I received,” led Deza to a unique opportunity.
On May 21, Deza signed a scholarship to attend the University of Houston-Victoria and serve as the student manager for the men’s soccer team.
“(Coach Jose Espitia) got several schools to come here and do tryouts, and one was UHV. I showed up early and just couldn’t stand still. I just did what I do, helped the coaches with anything they needed,” Deza said. “I showed (UHV coach Adrian Rigby) throughout the tryout … that I was being productive. And he came to my coaches and said, ‘I love him. I want to take him with me.’
“Getting that scholarship helps me a lot,” he added. “I could not explain the happiness I felt. Thinking of everything I’ve been through and seeing myself get a scholarship, I was crying of happiness. Everything I’ve been through actually got a reward.”
Deza was born and raised in Brownsville until his parents were deported when he was 8 years old. He lived with an abusive father and his family often had too little food and money. After a few years in Mexico, he went to stay in Mississippi with extended family in two different stints, but he struggled mentally, missing family, and dealt with racism from students.
After briefly returning to Mexico, Deza moved back to Brownsville to stay with his older sister and attend Porter for his last two years of high school. One week before his senior year began, Deza’s sister died.
Deza feared that with nowhere to live, he’d have to drop out of school. But he didn’t want to give up, and the people around him didn’t let him. At times, the $1 daily cost to travel between countries was too much, but coaches and staff came through.
“I really thank Jorge for waking me up,” Espitia said. “Sometimes we think that we are here to win games and championships, and we forget our main purpose as coaches and educators. Jorge was in desperate need, and as a coaching staff it was our duty to be that support group. It is very rewarding to see him accomplish such a great feat.
“Jorge hustles every day,” he added. “It is impressive to see him excel in everything he does even though he struggles daily. He is such a humble young man. His initiative and work ethic will lead him to success. … He is a servant leader, and with those qualities he will fit in anywhere.”
Deza’s signing ceremony was bittersweet because he didn’t have any family present. He did have plenty of teachers, counselors, school administrators, coaches and teammates there to celebrate what was an extremely emotional day.
“Unfortunately I had no family members at the ceremony, but I know they’re still proud of me no matter what,” Deza said. “Hearing people give speeches about how they appreciated me and how I changed their lives, it got me emotional. They said I impacted their lives, and I thought, ‘No, you changed mine.’ I did not have words. I broke down crying in the middle of the ceremony because I was so thankful for everyone that helped me.”
Deza’s mom watched the ceremony on a video call, and he said he was too overcome with emotion and pride to say much.
“When I saw her and tried to say something to her, I couldn’t. I was just too proud of her. She is the reason I am the person I am. She never let me work or do anything wrong, she just wanted me to focus on school. I’m so grateful for her, and she’s my No. 1 motivation,” Deza said.
Despite all the struggles, Deza sees better days ahead. He has a summer job lined up to save money for college and has a job waiting for him in Victoria. He’s going to explore some options before declaring a major.
Deza hopes his story of perseverance and faith can inspire others. It certainly did so at Porter.
“So many teachers helped me, school administration, counselors, my coaches especially. … I wanted to give more value to the person helping me than they give to me,” Deza said. “I’ve had a very tough life. I know it’s rough, but if this helps somebody going forward, it’s worth it.”