From Student-Athlete to Professional soccer player to giving back to the community

A Santa Ana, California citizen and former U.S.A Beach Soccer National team player, Alumni of UCLA and Saddleback High,

Oscar Reyes, is now running for Board of Education in his hometown city.

“ I believe I can make a difference, that the younger generation is the future.” Reyes said in phone call interview.

After graduating high school with outstanding grades and a talented soccer player. Reyes was the one and only from the talented, Saddleback High Boy’s Soccer team in 2008. 

He attended UCLA and soon after graduated majoring in Sociology. Just like he has remained focused on his young -self, he wishes to do the same for kids in the local community or even yet, to inspire another adult to do the same, to pass down good things to the next generation and keep them kicking, literally. 

“ I was the only student-athlete from Saddleback High, and as freshmen we went undefeated went to C.I.F. and national champions. And something unique happened, in that moment, the team was composed of seniors and juniors all of them had bad grades including my brother and so although we had the best team in the nation, really nobody went to go play after. Me being a freshmen I really picked up from there.” Reyes said.

He was not only able to make his immigrant Mexican parents proud but his entire community. He’s had a very successful soccer career and mean while this won’t be a easy 90 minute game, he’s taking this run as another one of his important matches.

Playing soccer daily has lead him to this new venture, as he approaches the new journey with lots of enthusiasm and motivation to change the academic aspects for the upcoming school years to come.  

Reyes, brings an important symbol to Santa Ana, but also continues to inspire his soccer peers and many others along the way. 

“I plan to push is an agenda that will bring the power back to the hard working citizens of Santa Ana and their children who should do things better than the previous generations did and we should be the ones who give them all the resources that they need to do that.” Reyes said.

He was one of the top players in the UCLA’s Men’s program, from there he moved on to the beach where he not only tanned but where he found that want, the want to give back to his society and back to the culture. 

He not only wants the satisfaction of the win in this new 90-minutes plus match but the support of the people like he had growing up.

“ At the end of the day, it’s not about me. We need people in power who are not pushing their own agenda. We need people who understands what our community needs, not because they read it in a book but because they LIVED it for themselves.“ Reyes,  added Via Instagram

Even though soccer has been part of his life, 

when, we asked him if he had soccer projects for the running he remained calm and laughed, most likely he won’t all we know is he encourages everyone to vote, Reyes ended by saying “ because your vote can change the youth, the lives of thousands of kids in Santa Ana, California.

The sport truly matters to him but most importantly the campaign to run and to help out at least one kid a day matters most. 

His main objective in this run for Board of Education, is not just to make the people happy but to allow him to grow as person, a coach, player, brother, uncle, dad and friend.

His family and friends are very supportive of him and his decision to run this year, it’s made his entire family happy. He went to elementary school in Santa Ana and was successful now he wants to achieve something him and his brother Jorge Reyes, thought of as kids, “to give back “ has always been one of Reyes, childhood goals.

By: Wendy Pintor