Odessa High offensive lineman Gerardo Vazquez knows not everyone has an opportunity to play at the collegiate level.
The four-year varsity football player doesn’t plan on taking anything for granted as he looks ahead towards the next chapter in his life.
Vazquez signed his letter of intent to play college football at signing ceremony at the Holiday Inn on 5321 JBS Parkway Wednesday.
The Broncho senior will be playing at the NCAA Division II level at Chadron State College in Chadron, Neb. this fall.
“I feel really blessed because not everybody can have this,” Vazquez said. “Not everyone can do what I’m doing so for me to be able to take my athletic and academic talents to a big school is nice.”
Chadron State, which plays in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, is coming off a 5-6 showing from last year.
Being from the Lone Star State, Vazquez said he doesn’t care much for the cold weather up north.
However, after visiting the campus, he knew he found his home.
“I’ll be honest, I’m from Texas and I don’t like the cold but the second I got there, I was very welcomed,” Vazquez said. “I felt like I was at home and that it is going to be like a big family because they’re really nice.”
The other schools Vazquez considered included Eastern New Mexico and Dodge City Community College at the JUCO level. Emporia State and Southeastern Oklahoma State were other schools that expressed interest.
“Eastern New Mexico was a big one,” Vazquez said. “Dodge City Community College had my eyes too. There were a lot of schools in Kansas that I was interested in.”
Vazquez is one of the few Odessa High players who gets to say that he’s played all four-years at the varsity-level.
Him and his teammates from this past season are also one of the few Broncho players that got to experience a win over crosstown rivals Permian.
Unsurprisingly, Vazquez pointed out his team’s 49-42 overtime win over Permian (the team’s first win over the Panthers in ten years) as the highlight of this fall.
“I’ve been a four-year starter since I’ve gotten here,” Vazquez said. “I started at the varsity level and I’ve been one of those guys that gets done and I’m all about business. Even in powerlifting, I was a four-time regional qualifier. … This year was special because we beat Permian in football.”
Vazquez said he’ll miss his high school teammates, pointing out the coaching change back in 2021 as one of the obstacles they gone through.
“If I’m honest … college is a big thing and here, (our team) has been a big family over these years, since the coaching change,” Vazquez said. “Overall, I’m going to miss my friends. I grew up with everyone here on the west side. I’m going to miss them.”
He’s earned the praise of his coaches including Odessa High’s co-offensive coordinator and offensive line coach Sylvester Hatten.
“It’s been a privilege to know and coach this type of player,” Hatten said. “He’s more than a player. He’s a student-athlete. He’s very coachable and respectful and I know he’ll do great things because he’s strong-minded. I’m proud of him”
