{"id":5063515,"date":"2026-02-12T03:55:52","date_gmt":"2026-02-11T20:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/calatinonews.com\/?p=5063515"},"modified":"2026-02-12T03:55:52","modified_gmt":"2026-02-11T20:55:52","slug":"la-sports-through-the-eyes-of-a-latino-student","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/caln\/2026\/02\/12\/la-sports-through-the-eyes-of-a-latino-student\/","title":{"rendered":"LA Sports Through the Eyes of a Latino Student"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

At Cal State Long Beach, among the buzz of scooters riding by you, chatter in the crowd and chips falling from vending machines, there\u2019s one person amongst the noise who will bring the energy of Los Angeles sports with him wherever he goes, Garrett Bishop, a proud Latino student where LA sports isn\u2019t just a hobby, it\u2019s his cultural identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Bishop, he was basically born in stadiums. LA sports were part of his upbringing long before he had any knowledge of what was going on other than different shaped and sized balls being thrown around. It was inevitable for him to evolve into the die-hard fan he is now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGrowing up Latino in LA, the games became family gatherings for me,\u201d Bishop says. \u201cYou\u2019d hear Spanish from the kitchen, English from the TV, asada on the grill and then suddenly everything would stop when Dodgers came on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some of his favorite memories revolve around the Dodgers\u2019 biggest accomplishments, especially their championship run this year. For the Bishop family, the Dodgers winning the World Series wasn\u2019t just a win, it was a core memory and bonding moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen the Dodgers won, it was huge for us,\u201d Garrett\u2019s mom, Betty Bishop says. \u201cThe whole street was outside yelling. My husband and son were on the verge of tears. For Latinos in LA, the Dodgers represent more than just baseball, they represent our culture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bishop believes the legacy of Latino players made the win even more meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Aerial<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wasn\u2019t fortunate enough to watch Fernando Valenzuela play during that time, but my mom and grandpa tell me endless stories about his legacy.\u201d Bishop says. \u201cI love to go back and watch highlights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, there are latinos such as Kike Hernandez, Teoscar Hernandez and Miguel Rojas who are setting the stage for latino players in baseball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeeing Miguel Rojas pull his weight in game seven of the World Series was dynamic,\u201d Bishop says. \u201cWe wouldn\u2019t have won the game without his homerun and double play. In that moment I felt a sense of pride not only in my favorite team but my culture.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That pride follows him everywhere on campus. With over 50 jerseys, across four LA teams, Garrett\u2019s closet looks like a Latino Sports Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His connection to the city runs even deeper. Bishop and his family have been Rams season-ticket holders since 2016.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is very heartwarming to see how all of our family connects through sports,\u201d Betty Bishop says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On campus, Garrett is more than a \u201csports friend.\u201d He\u2019s the reminder that Latino culture is deeply etched into the DNA of LA sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am so proud Latino,\u201d Garrett says. \u201cAnd I love LA. When the Dodgers, Lakers, Rams or Kings win, I feel connected to my family and my city. It\u2019s bigger than sports.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Catch him at SoFi on a Sunday, in Dodger blue on a random Tuesday, or on campus rocking one of his 50 jerseys. Regardless, one thing is for sure, Garrett Bishop isn\u2019t just a fan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He is the blueprint for Latino sports culture at CSULB, and every LA win feels like a win for his community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow that baseball season is over, it’s time for my Rams to pull through and make it to the Super Bowl,\u201d Bishop says. \u201cWith fellow latino, Steve Avila on our team, there is nothing we can\u2019t do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Ryla Manalang is a senior journalism major at California State University, Long Beach. Previously, the lifestyle and social media editor for Santa Ana College’s award-winning publication, her work has appeared in el Don News and has been recognized by the Associated Collegiate Press for her photography.\u00a0 Recently, she has contributed content pieces for LA Times Studios as a Content Strategist intern.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LA sports were part of Garret Bishop’s upbringing long before he had any knowledge of what was going on other than different shaped and sized balls being thrown 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