HOLLY POND, Ala. — Holly Pond’s John Garcia earned his diploma in May, and in this interview, he talked about his favorite memories playing alongside some great teammates and friends on the football field and memories he made in the classroom with his fellow Broncos.
“My favorite memories came from my junior year of football. Even though we may not have won as many games as we wanted to, the memories I have, getting to play my favorite sport with my best friends, is what means the most to me. My favorite moment in particular was when we, as a team, broke the losing streak that we had going on at the time. It felt good to finally begin to see our hard work pay off and begin to show. Even though I didn’t get to play my senior year due to injury, I’m still so grateful to have been able to be a part of a team like Holly Pond, and it will always mean the world to me,” Garcia said. “It was such a good feeling to be around so many great teammates and friends. When you get to share the field with people like Jayden Holloway, Sawyer Olinger, Diego Arreguin, just to name a few, it becomes so much easier in practice and in games, because we all have the same goals in common, we wanted to get better, and we wanted to win. Being around my teammates like them pushed me to work harder and do my part just like I knew that they would do their part for the team. It’s that bond and trust that we had that is hard to put into words that made our team so special.”
John added,
“I learned that no matter how good or talented you are, it doesn’t matter if you can’t be coachable, selfless, or a good teammate. It was about more than just me or the next person. It’s about doing your part for the team. I learned that it applies not only to the sport of football but to life in general. They also taught me what it meant to have people trust in you. Even when I made a mistake or was in my head, they were always there to tell me something encouraging and lift me up. Even when I didn’t believe in myself, they believed in me, and so because of them, I want to treat everyone the same way in every aspect of life.”
Even though he didn’t play a lot under coach Will McDaniels, John is excited to see what he has in store for the football program this season and moving forward. He will remember and miss a lot about playing at Holly Pond.
“Even though I didn’t play much for him, I’m really excited to see where coach McDaniels leads the program of Holly Pond in the future. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be the coach there for a long time coming. Coach McDaniels would always sit us down, and let us know that he’s not going anywhere, and that he’s here for us. As a player, having that connection with your coach, knowing that he’s excited to be a part of the program, really means a lot,” Garcia said. “I will always remember the pep rallies before games and looking into the crowd for my friends and family who were there in support of me. I will always remember what all of my coaches taught me and all the memories playing with my friends. What I will miss the most about competing at Holly Pond is wearing the green and white colors across my chest and playing for the best community in the county.”
He shared some of his favorite high school memories as well. He grew up a Bronco, and that’s why going to school at Holly Pond meant the world to him.
“Some of my favorite memories came from Mr. Roden’s class. He always found a way to teach while making it fun and teaching us a lot of life lessons and practical lessons too. A lot more came from the time I spent playing sports. I enjoyed my senior year and being able to have our senior picnic, sunrise, and so many more things. I loved being a part of the field day and helping set up for the Veteran’s Day program. I will always cherish these moments and am blessed to have been able to experience them,” Garcia said. “It’s a special place to go to, because it was the place where I grew up in. I made my best friends here at Holly Pond, and it’s a community filled with amazing people who support one another. The teachers there care for you and do whatever it takes to make sure you succeed in whatever it is that you’re wanting to do.”
John will miss being a Bronco this fall and being a role model for younger kids on and off the field is very important to him.
“I’ll miss the underclassmen that I was friends with and the teachers there. I’ll definitely miss the feeling of walking through those halls in the morning and just the positive energy that each teacher had in the morning. Another thing I’ll miss is the pep rallies and school events that we had going on each week, and all of the special events the school had for us,” he said. “I’ve always been taught to set an example, and work hard at all times, because the younger kids take after the older group. For me, it’s important to be that role model, because us as an older group set the tempo, and work ethic traits like that are contagious, and once people start seeing that, it makes them want to work hard too.”
He shared some advice with the students starting high school this fall and talked about some of his own future plans as he prepares to kick off his collegiate career.
“My advice would be to start now. Everything you do now sets you up for your future, so be involved in as much as you can. Whether that be through sports, clubs, or community service, try to be involved in whatever it is that you can be involved in. Everything you do from now until you graduate is building your resume, so when that time comes when you’re presenting that to job employers, colleges, or anything else, it’s important to have something that makes you stand out. Most importantly, have fun, and enjoy your time, because before you know it, you’ll be walking across that stage onto the next chapter of your life,” he said. “I received scholarships from the University of Auburn and some from Holly Pond. I received the Fearless and True Scholarship, the Muriel and Mary Albright Scholarship, and the Ever to Conquer Scholarship. I’m so grateful and thankful to have received them. I’ll be attending Auburn in the fall, and I’ll be majoring in Civil Engineering. The campus there is beautiful and amazing everywhere you look. Not only that, but when I’m on campus, I feel safe.”
God has played a big part in John’s life, and he shared some of his favorite Bible verses. He wants people to remember him as a kind person in and outside of sports and school.
“God has played a huge role in my life. If it wasn’t for Him, I wouldn’t be in the position that I’m in today. I owe all of the glory to Him, my Lord and Savior. My favorite verses are 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. They mean a lot to me, and I try my best to live my life through those verses,” he said. “I want people to remember me as a person who was there for other people. I want to be remembered as someone who was nice, caring, and hard-working, but most importantly, I want to be remembered as someone who was always dependable and trustworthy.”
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