By Moses Leos III

Sports is a way of life for Hays High junior defensive back and track and field athlete Hector Fuentes.

Having played varsity football for a time last season, Fuentes sought to improve his skills on the field this summer by attending various skill camps across the state.

But a life in the athletic realm is the norm for Fuentes, whose older siblings have participated in athletics at Hays at the varsity level. While there is some pressure to live up to what his siblings accomplished, the ability to forge his own path is what drives him.

Growing up, Fuentes said he picked up football from his older brother, Tony, who was a Hays High offensive lineman.

When the two were younger, Fuentes said his brother often showed him videos of Hall of Fame defensive back Deion Sanders before he played games to get him “hyped up.”

Sanders and defensive back Josh Norman are two professional role models Fuentes said he looks up to.

But through his brother, Fuentes’ primary role model, Fuentes learned what football coaches expect both on the weight room and on the field.

“He brought me into the program,” Fuentes said.

Fuentes’ older sister, Esmi, who ran track and cross country at Hays, gave him “something to live up to as one of the top runners at our school.”

It’s through athletics that the Fuentes family finds a common bond and allows them to stay together.

“We just communicate through sports and such,” Fuentes said. “That’s how we stayed together, because we played sports.”

Focusing on improving his skills on the gridiron is what drove Fuentes to attend multiple football camps during the summer.

So far, Fuentes has attended the TCU football camp in Fort Worth and the Texas Longhorn camp in Austin. Fuentes also participated in a football camp at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, where coaches from Arizona State, Oklahoma State and Missouri attended.

Practicing in front of coaches from Division I colleges was a nerve-wracking experience.

“I was nervous because I’m trying to perform and do my best,” Fuentes said. “But once I got into a rhythm, I relaxed more and tried to do my own thing.”

Fuentes said the experience helped him learn different aspects of the game. He said he learned techniques in one-on-one situations, along with strategies in man-on-man and press coverage.

The Texas camp was  an “eye-opening” experience for Fuentes, based on the way they taught their drills. During that time, Fuentes said he had a chance to see many of the program’s facilities, and meet head coach Charlie Strong.

“For us defensive backs, the coaches, they knew what they were doing,” Fuentes said. “I was following along with what they had showed me. They said I did good for my size.”

Fuentes hopes to make 2016 his “breakout year” he said. He aspires to earn first team all-district honors in the newly formed 26-6A.

“I have to keep training,” Fuentes said. “I’m going to try my best to lock (opponents) down and not have anything be caught on me this season. They can try, but let’s see if they can.”

As the summer progresses, Fuentes hopes he can pick up scholarship offers from college football programs. He hopes to potentially play at the Division I level.

“I can see myself playing (college football) and trying to make it out and make a living out of (football),” Fuentes said.