Isaiah Sanchez

• Grade: 12
• Sport(s): Football, Baseball, Cheer, and Track
• Position(s) : Cornerback, and Shortstop
• Age Started Playing: Started playing football and track freshmen year, started cheer and baseball his junior year

How would other people describe you as an athlete?

People would call me very competitive, disciplined, and would say I work hard toward my goals.

How and why did you start playing?

I always loved football but wasn’t able to have the chance to play until ninth grade. When I entered high school, the other sports I did just to be involved around high school and I don’t regret any decisions I’ve made.

Describe how you prepare before a game/tournament.

It just depends on the sport. Usually in football, I do like to nap. It feels like it slows down everything that’s happening. But for other sports, I just do a lot of stretching.

For people that have never play your sport, what do you think the average person gets wrong about it?

To the average person who watches, I feel they think it’s pretty easy to become good at everything. But with the diversity, I’ve experienced in my sports, I can say it’s definitely the opposite.

What personal superstitions or traditions do you have before, during or after a game?

The main thing I’m big on is: If you think you’ll do good, it’ll open up more opportunity for you to do good and allow you to react better in all types of situations.

Tell us about your favorite memory as an athlete either on or off the field.

It’s hard to choose from but it’d definitely be having a game-winning interception week 1 my junior year in football. Just hearing everyone in the crowd after realizing what just happened was just a feeling I’ll forever hope to have again.

Tell us the story about what you are most proud of yourself for.

I’ve come a long way with chances of giving up and going different routes. Fortunately, I was able to steer away from everything negative and was able to achieve my goals.

As an athlete, who is someone you are thankful for and why?

The main person I’m thankful for is God. Without Him, it would’ve been a lot more difficult. But, being able to get through injuries and struggles throughout my years with his guidance was the best thing I could have asked for. 

What advice would you give to your younger self when you began playing?

I would’ve told myself to not worry about other people and what they thought. They didn’t have the same goals as me and were just distractions to me and my vision for the future.

What’s on your sports bucket list?

It’s very basic, but, now that I know that I’m within reach of being able to play sports at a division 1 level, that is the biggest thing on my sports bucket list. 

Favorites

• Team/Sport Ritual or Tradition: Praying together as a team really made me feel like I had a family in those moment
• Pre-Game Meal: Anything as long as I ate it two hours before I perform
• Post-Game Meal: Any fast food and getting as much food as I can for the lowest price
• Exercise: Hitting core is my favorite exercise because it really shows who wants to win no matter the size of the person.
• Practice: I’ve learned to enjoy and cherish all of my practices because I never knew when my last one was gonna come
• Hype Music: “Grace” by Lil Baby
• Sports Movie/TV Show: “The Blind Side” (2009)
• Coach: Coach Xavier Webb