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Luis Cruz: More than Just a Quarterback
Story and Photos by Shawn Esworthy
Chillin' in the weight room. Photo by Shawn Esworthy.
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Luis Cruz did not expect to play the final game of the 2008 football season for Mars Hill. Instead, he found himself in the midst of one of the most successful athletic events of his life.
On November 8, 2008, due in large part to Cruz’s substitute quarterbacking, the Mars Hill Lions beat Wingate 45-42.
Cruz, known as a perpetually positive coed, threw three touchdowns against the Bulldogs that day, making the event one of the biggest successes of Cruz’s life.
“Through my success, I learned that anything is possible through hard work,” Cruz said.
Cruz came to MHC last semester as a second string quarterback. It was his first season here. Although Cruz had played at times during the season to gain some experience, he had never shouldered the responsibility of a win or lose.
At another point in his life, one that he cites as one of his biggest failures, the outcome was not positive. It was in 2005 of his senior year that his Valencia Tigers played New Port Harbor for the high school championship. They came up short in the end losing 28-21.
“I remember trying not to lose the last game of my football career and trying to do the best to score,” Cruz said. It was very disappointing for Luis to think about. “I was disappointed that we couldn’t win the championship, but I try not to think about it too much,” Cruz said.
Cruz learned a lot by losing the biggest game yet so far in his life.
“Through my failure, I learned that you have to keep your head up and keep going on, and you can’t get discouraged,” he said. “It also made me learn not to ever underestimate my opponents, and made me learn to focus on things instead of looking ahead."
Cruz takes a moment in his room. Photo by Shawn Esworthy.
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Cruz gets a lot of fun out of being a quarterback. “It’s fun because you have all eyes on you, and everybody on the football team is looking for you to lead them on the field,” Cruz said. “You have to be a leader and take responsibility of the team.”
Sometimes there is a lot of work that goes into being a quarterback, but Cruz does a good job in working through that.
“You have to keep your body in shape, stay throwing the football, and watch a lot of film on the opponent during the season,” Cruz said. “It takes up a lot of time, but I’m still able to put school first."
While he is having fun putting the hard work into being a quarterback, he still has his other goals that are important to him.
“I want to graduate, get my bachelor's degree in physical education, become a PE teacher or football coach, and hopefully get married and have some kids,” Cruz said.
Mars Hill has been a good school for him to come to accomplish those goals, he said.
“I like it here because I think I fit in well over here, and it’s a good school that gives me a good education,” Cruz said. “I also thought it would be a good opportunity for me to play football."
Cruz gets his recognition from being on the field, but off the field he is a down-to-earth human being, who just likes to chill and spend time with family and friends.
“I just mainly like to workout, hang out with my family and friends and go to the beach,” Cruz stated.
Cruz was born in Hammond, Indiana, but only lived there until he was 7. He ended up moving to Anaheim, California, to a middle-class neighborhood.
“There was never too much going on, and there was not too much violence,” he said.
“It was peaceful, and there are nice people."
When Cruz came to Mars Hill last fall, it took time for him to get use to the area. Now that he has been here for a little while, he has been able to see the differences.
“Here in North Carolina it is colder in the winter, and it rains more here,” Cruz said. “There are no beaches close by, and there are no palm trees. There is not a lot of sunshine during the winter or fall here."
Even though Cruz sees all the differences from California and North Carolina, he still admits he likes it here.
“I also like it here because there are lots of things to do on the weekend. It’s never a boring night at Mars Hill,” he said.
While Cruz enjoys being at Mars Hill, he also admits there is nothing like home. “Life is good back at home in California because I get to do what I love, which is hanging out with my friends and go to the beach,” Cruz said. “I pretty much do the same thing at home as I do here; except for I have family, friends, and the beach at home.”
He does have those little things he misses about home.
“I miss the weather, fast food, family and friends,” he said. “I definitely miss the food places they don’t have in North Carolina, like the IN-n-OUT, Chipotle, and Pepe’s.”
He has other talents than football. He played baseball and basketball in high school. If he didn’t play football, he admitted he would go to school and be a PE teacher and a football coach.
“Physical education interests me because I am interested in health and fitness, like working out and stuff,” Cruz said.
Cruz said he has good parents who made him who he is today.
“My mom and dad have been most influential to me because they taught me how to be a good person and do the right things in life,” Cruz admitted. “They taught me how to be respectful, be considerate of others and treat people how you want to be treated.”
Cruz said if he could talk to anyone living or dead, it would be Jesus. “I would want to talk to Jesus because I want to have a conversation with him,” Cruz stated.
While his life has been satisfying to him, the main thing is that he is healthy.
“Being able to stay healthy and follow my dreams have been the most satisfying aspects of my life,” Cruz said. He admires his mom the most for being able to stay healthy and follow his dreams. “She has always made what I wanted to do possible,” Cruz said.
During school, Cruz really tries to stay focused and do what it important to make good grades. “During an average day I eat, go to class, eat, do football, eat, then do some homework,” he explained.
While some students may be out with their friends having fun or partying at night, Cruz is usually in doing important things.
“At night, I am either doing homework or playing racquetball,” he said. If he could get away from being busy all the time, and travel to a foreign country, he would like to go to Puerto Rico. “I’ve just always wanted to go there,” Cruz said.
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