VYPE: What grade are you in, and what sports do you play?
Jose: I am a sophomore at Enid High School and I run the 800, 1600, 3200, 4×800, and 5k on the track team and I am also a part of the cross country team.
VYPE: Which teammate do you enjoy working against the most in practice?
Jose: I enjoy working most with Karson La Rue because he pushes me to go faster when I know he catches up. We do almost all our runs together and go to the gym. I also enjoy working with Mykael Padilla since he is a funny guy who makes practice more fun.
VYPE: What has been the highlight moment of your career?
Jose: The highlight of my running career so far has to be running 16:01 5K at regionals, being an all-region runner, and qualifying for state
VYPE: Is there an opponent that you enjoy beating the most?
Jose: The guy I like beating me the most is any of my friends who run for other schools. We can always laugh and have a great time after and I enjoy racing them whenever I can! Some highlights include Jaxon Bonilla from Norman North, Ryan Walker from Southmoore, and Miles Occhiuzzo from Chisholm.
VYPE: What teacher has had the biggest impact on your life?
Jose: A teacher who has had the biggest impact on my life would be Mathew Reed since he is a upgoing guy and is someone I can talk to casually about anything
VYPE: What motivates you?
Jose: What motivates me is the desire to be faster and be a top runner in the nation
VYPE: What clubs and campus activities are you involved with?
Jose: At school, I am involved in NHS and STUCO, and I try my best to go to every sports activity at home. I did 1 year in the Hispanic-Latino Club, and I help at school events whenever it’s available and works with my schedule. I am also taking two AP classes and am a part of Upward Bound at Northern Oklahoma College (NOC-Enid)
VYPE: Who are some of your biggest influences or role models?
Jose: Some of my biggest influencers are my dad for his courage to work hard every day, and my coach, Justin Declerck, who pushes me to be the best runner I can be every day
VYPE: What does it mean to you to represent your school and community when you play?
Jose: It means a lot to represent Enid at a high level. 6A has the hardest competition, and being able to represent them and be a top guy in the state makes me and the city feel amazing. I feel honored to represent Enid, and a lot of people I see every day give me encouragement to keep working harder to represent Enid even more!
