Isaiah Ruiz always keeps things simple. In school, sports, and everything, he takes advantage of the moment.
This fall, however, he decided to take up something new: run for Homecoming King.
“I just thought it would be cool,” he said. “I haven’t really done much outside of sports, so I decided to make my senior year more memorable for my last year.”
This seems to be a reaction to his junior year. Last year, he claims he wasn’t very focused. “Junior year, I thought I had all the time to do whatever I wanted,” he said. “My grades were good, but I was just really unfocused.”
If he were able to give his junior year self some advice, it would be “take advantage of the moments and do things you won’t regret.”
Now he’s in the hunt for Homecoming King. On the surface, even he doesn’t think he looks like the best candidate. “I’m probably not the best choice,” he admits, laughing. “But I think I would make a good king because I’m respectful and a leader.”
Isaiah’s abilities as a leader, which are on display every Friday night when he takes the field as one of the captains of the Yellowjacket football team are one of his most defining qualities.
Football plays a big part in Isaiah’s life and pretty much shaped his identity. He picked up the sport at five years old, where his coach taught him to be disciplined and respectful. “The sport really made me who I am,” he said. “I learned to be a leader instead of just a follower.” Now, as a captain, he tries to teach these things to his teammates.
He knows what it means to have a good balance of responsibility. His approach is simple: stay on top of deadlines. “I just do whatever is due that day, it keeps the stress off me and I get to eat and sleep and feel good.”
Math has been one of his toughest subjects. He has been proud of keeping grades above B even as his classes become more challenging. His favorite subject? History. “I passed with an A+, and the teachers were cool. I just really enjoyed it.”
Outside of playing football and school, Isaiah is just like any other high school student. He enjoys lifting weights and is really proud of his max squat of 425 pounds. He also enjoys playing video games, his favorite being the new “Skate” game, and playing with his five-year-old American Bulldog, Tank.
He is also preparing for what comes next: college and life after high school
After graduation, Isiah hopes to continue playing football in college while studying business. He plans to share his football film reel with Division 2 or 3 colleges. His dream school would be the University of Miami..
For now, though, those plans can wait because he has to get ready for Homecoming Night. Whether or not Isaiah takes the crown, he has clearly left his mark in the classroom, on the football field, and among his peers.