Douglas' Ricky Cortez uses his success on the court to prepare him for the gridiron
By Katie Boer KPIC News
MultimediaWINSTON, Ore. -- Basketball may not be the only focus for Ricky Cortez. The Douglas High School junior utilizes his position at wing to strengthen his agility off the court.
For him the workouts pay off, and each sport his focus is on a different technique. "For football say I play linebacker, so I'm always trying to make the big hit and in basketball I'm always trying to score and stop the other team from scoring and baseball I play pitcher so I'm always just trying to dominate." But his success from the basketball court to the gridiron is passed down through his genes. "My dad went to Sutherlin High School and he played baseball and football and he wrestled and he was a really good athlete, so that helped; and my mom was actually a cheerleader at Oakland," Cortez explained. His parents have mentored him inside the classroom but support his athleticism through collegiate athletic programs who have already expressed their interest. "They want me to do that so bad. No one in my family has ever went to the next level to play sports, so they want me to be the first one, " said Ricky. Cortez hopes to pass on his ambition as his parents did for him. "My younger brothers is probably going to be better then me, they're studs," he said. His 9 and 11-year-old brothers play a huge role in his inspiration and his dedication on the court is directed to motivate his siblings in their future athletic endeavors.
"It's always working on my footwork and stuff," said Cortez.. "Having good balance, that helps a lot for the positions. I play baseball and football [just] keeping my quickness up." |
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February 9, 2012
- Roseburg, Oregon
