Double Trouble

Navarro shines on both offense and defense for CI

 

senior-spotlightRalph Navarro, a senior at Channel Islands High School and a linebacker/fullback on the football team, has been giving it his all on the field this season.

On defense, he is among the team leaders in tackles with 49; he also has two interceptions. On offense, he has caught 26 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns. He also has 84 yards rushing.

The 6-foot, 210-pound Navarro has been playing football since he was 10 years old. His first team was the Hueneme Rhinos and then he continued to play football in high school. Seeing his cousins and family members play football is what inspired him to pursue the sport.

To prepare for games, Navarro listens to “hype” music and watches motivational films. During the game, he feeds off the energy from the fans.

When he’s out on the field he says, “It’s an unexplainable feeling under Friday night lights.”

After high school he wants to continue with college ball. He wishes to attend Azusa Pacific University and play in Division II. One of his dreams is to play for the Dallas Cowboys at a professional level.

Navarro mentioned some pros and cons of the game. Some of the pros are that you get to create a family/bond with teammates, hit people on the other team, have fun doing what you love, and finally you get to travel and see California outside of Oxnard. The cons are body pain in the morning, dealing with negative comments, the possibility of getting hurt, and the worst, running during conditioning.

One major goal for Navarro is to graduate and go straight to a university. Football gave him good work ethic and taught him never to quit.

Josh Faagogo, a senior fullback/defensive lineman, said of Navarro, “Playing with Ralph is a lot of arguing but it’s all out of love. Ralph and I are unstoppable on the field. Ralph is a savage.”

Fern Romero, a senior, also had some positive things to say about Navarro when asked the same question.

“It’s great playing with Ralph; he’s my best friend,” Romero said. “We’ve played for so long together, he has to be there. It’s his place and it just doesn’t feel right when he’s not in the locker room. Ralph is a beast; he’s willing to do anything to win. He’s always so positive, and he brings everyone together, he’s a leader.”

Some final words Navarro wanted to say were, “Enjoy life. Live for the moment because everything comes to an end eventually. Embrace the journey.”