(Vail, AZ) I was invited by a dear friend to come see the Southeast Trojans youth football game at Vail Empire High School last fall. They play in the Southeastern Arizona Youth Football League (SAYFL).
Since my friend knew I covered the Tucson Youth Football and Spirit Federation (TYFSF), I would enjoy checking out this other league that traveled around Southeast Arizona.
This league allows kids up to fourteen years old to play as Tucson Youth Football goes up to thirteen years old.
Personally, I believe the extra year in youth football would be a tremendous advantage instead of being forced to play freshman ball at a local high school. Some are ready to make the jump, most are not.
Enter Diego and Mario Quijada. These twins are the Real Deal when it comes to talent, skill and speed and exemplify the term Student/Athlete.
I had an opportunity to sit down with the twins and their parents in Vail. I’ve know this family for several months now and are in awe of these kid’s talent.
I asked them ten questions in which they answered with a combination of smiles, confusion, laughs and even a rolled eye.
Both Diego and Mario agreed that they began playing the game of football at six years, old but took an exteded break until last year. A large part of why a lot of high schools coaches hadn’t heard of the Quijada Twins.
Mario’s style of play he prefers to use his speed to avoid tacklers, but will also chip in on blocking when needed.
Diego plays with speed and power not shying away from a would be tackler. He loves the contact and sending a statement when he runs over you. Both thought this was a tough question. Innocence at its best.
They are each blessed with incredible speed, Diego’s fastest forty yard dash time is 4.72. Mario is a shade faster at 4.70. They both go to a Speed School on Tucson’s Northeast side for training to increase their speed but also work on technique. Blazing speed if you consider they’re only fourteen years old and the best times in the forty for an NFL Player is 4.38 by Shaquem Griffin in the last NFL Combine. They also both plan to run track in high school.
Neither plays any other sport currently other than football. I did encourage them to practice other sports in order to use different muscle groups thus alleviating and diminishing the chance of a major injury. Basketball for its aerobic up and down exercise and racquetball for its side to side lateral movement. Both can be utilized in football.
I asked them with open enrollment now available and the certainty of other coaches having interest in them coming to their school, would they consider going to any high school other than Cienega? They both beamed that boyish grim and calmly sad, “ No” and that was due to the success and tradition of Cienega Football. Their older sister is on the JV Bobcat Cheer Squad. Looks like Bobcat Head Coach Pat Nugent is in good hands for the near future.
In a futuristic hypothetical question, I asked them what college would they like to play for in four years. Diego’s answer was Florida State and Mario wants to play for Oklahoma University.
Interestingly enough, both chose different athletes from different sports as their idol that they look up to athletically. Diego likes the way Saquon Barkley plays and Mario looks up to LeBron James. Even though being twins, they both have distinctively different tastes and independent thinking.The main common variable is they both love playing toghether and the family bond.
Parents Alberto and Julie Quijada have made a strong impact on the boys playing sports. As they grinned ear to ear, both Diego and Mario said that both parents positively push them to excell in football, but also take the nurturing route in making sure they have all their equipment, are fed well, and attend every game in support of their sons.
The athletic ability in the family comes from Alberto who was a multi-sport athlete and Julie played basketball. Jackpot on the DNA pool.
Academics are top priority in the Quijada house and both boys know they need to excel in school in order to put themselves in position for a college scholarship.
Be sure to keep an eye on both Diego and Mario Quijada as they begin the difficult but fun part of high school football next year.
