Senior Drake Aguon has been playing a variety of sports throughout his whole life: football, basketball and baseball. According to Aguon, he has played football and basketball all four years for UC High and baseball freshman and sophomore years. However, his athletic history and passion runs much deeper than just high school: he has played basketball for a total of nine years, and baseball for a total of eleven years.

   Aguon said, “I practiced all the time. When I didn’t have practice on the weekends, I would be working out on the field or in the gym. I was always trying to get better in all my sports to be the best athlete I could be.” Drake worked very hard to accomplish his goals and to overcome his weaknesses.

   Aguon didn’t just work on playing the game, but led others to strive for their goals and taught them how to become better players. Aguon said, “I worked on being the best teammate, captain, player and student I could be. I wanted to lead by example and be a good role model. On the weekends, I coached younger kids that wanted to play quarterback, and I taught them what I have learned about the position. I’ve also helped out my younger brother’s Baseball and Basketball Teams.”

   “I played hard and gave it my all every single game,” said Aguon. Even when some difficulties begin to arrise, Aguon manages it. “I’m not as tall as I would like to be for the sports I play, so I have tried to use my quickness as a shorter athlete to my advantage. Also, sometimes I let my frustration in games get the best of me, but I’ve worked on using it as a motivation to play better and harder,” Aguon said.

   Aguon has faced injuries as well, but they haven’t stopped his pursuit of athleticism. “I’ve gotten two concussions in football. Both kept me out of games. [The] worst one was [in] junior year, where I forgot a lot of what happened after I got it,” he said.

   Aguon said, “I am going to UCLA [University of California, Los Angeles] and majoring in Business Economics. I want to go on to work in the sports world once I graduate. I can see myself coaching in the future as well.” High school will not be the end of athletics for Aguon, but as of now, he plans to focus mostly on schoolwork in college. Aguon said, “I will continue to play sports in my free time, and I’m considering trying to walk on. My ultimate achievement would probably be to make the football team at UCLA if I choose to walk on later.”

   Aguon said, “My dad has inspired me the most to strive as an athlete. He introduced me to sports at a very young age and has been pushing me ever since. Sports have always been my hobby. I love watching and playing them. It’s basically all I do.”

    Aguon advised that new athletes just need to find something they’re passionate about, and work hard at improving. Aguon has never abandoned the sports he loves, and inspires others to do the same.