By CLAIRE CRUZ, Staff Writer
SANTA ROSA — Reese Lara always dreamed of being a college athlete.
He started competing in summer track & field when he was very young. As he got older and his times got faster, he realized that the dream was within reach. On Tuesday, Lara made the dream a reality, signing his letter of intent to run for Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi in the Southland Conference at the NCAA Division I level.
“It’s a dream come true. I’m really excited,” Lara said. “I’ve been wanting to continue sports after high school for a while now. This opportunity came up, and I just couldn’t let it pass. I was in a bit of shock because I was, like, ‘There’s no way.’ This is really something.”
During his signing ceremony, Lara was celebrated for being a prototype student-athlete. Along with being a star on the track, Lara played football for the Santa Rosa Warriors and was the quarterback his senior year. He balanced athletics, extracurricular clubs and academics well, and boasts a 3.92 GPA. Lara will be majoring in business with a minor in kinesiology at TAMUCC.
Lara’s future ambition is to be a coach so he can help young athletes experience the success he had and push them toward their own goals.
That calling is fitting considering the influence Warriors track coach Robbie Cruz said Lara has already had on his peers. Cruz called Lara “a great kid that I was fortunate to coach” and praised the senior for leading by example and showing what dedication and hard work can accomplish.
“His determination (sets him apart),” Cruz said. “That kid has been wanting to run at the collegiate level. It’s something he would talk about, and as a coach that’s what we should be doing, trying to get these kids where they want to be. It’s awesome for him and for the kids to see. … He never backed down.”
Lara competed in the 400- and 800-meter runs and the 1,600 relay for Santa Rosa. He’ll be running the individual races at college and will try to earn a spot on the relay. Lara capped off his Warriors career by qualifying for the Class 3A state track & field meet in Austin in the 800. He set a personal record with a 1:59.01 at state to claim a fourth-place finish.
“(My state performance) definitely helped the recruitment process,” Lara said. “It was crazy walking in and seeing all the stands filled. Going up to the starting line, all the nerves and butterflies were building up, and once the gun sounded, I just ran. My last high school race, and I just took advantage of it. Definitely the best race of my life.”
A large crowd of family, friends, coaches, teammates and other supporters — many wearing TAMUCC shirts with his name on the back — filled the auditorium to celebrate Lara’s latest achievement. The endless support he has received from the tight-knit Santa Rosa community has motivated Lara throughout his career, and he knows they’ll still have his back as he takes on this new chapter.
“Definitely (thankful for) my teammates and my coaches for always pushing me at practice to be my best. And especially my parents, because they’ve helped me to stay mentally strong. I’ve been through a lot, and they’ve always been there for me,” Lara said. “(Looking forward to) all the traveling and competing against the big schools, and finally going to Texas Relays.”