{"id":5062548,"date":"2025-03-12T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-12T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walatinonews.com\/?p=5062548"},"modified":"2025-03-12T08:00:00","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T08:00:00","slug":"university-of-washingtons-leadership-breaks-barriers-on-and-off-the-football-field","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/2025\/03\/12\/university-of-washingtons-leadership-breaks-barriers-on-and-off-the-football-field\/","title":{"rendered":"University of Washington\u2019s Football Recruit Breaks Barriers on and off the Field"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Victor Sanchez Hernandez is a name that might be familiar to University of Washington (UW) Husky football fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sanchez Hernandez graduated early from Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, about 20 miles north of Seattle. He is<a href=\"https:\/\/247sports.com\/player\/victor-sanchez-hernandez-46143575\/\"> a member of Washington\u2019s 2025 recruiting class<\/a> and plans to enroll at UW in time for the spring quarter.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He is also a highly accomplished taekwondo athlete who has been ranked as high as number one in the world.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While football and taekwondo are what most people know him for, Sanchez Hernandez is highly motivated by his pride in his Mexican heritage.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think it\u2019s a very big honor to be able to be a first-gen Mexican,\u201d he said, \u201cMy parents came here to the U.S. for me to have a better future. I\u2019ve been grateful to visit my country, meet the people, explore the culture, and have a deeper understanding. For me to be able to take that opportunity and run with it, that just means a lot to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sanchez Hernandez credits his parents for raising him with a high work ethic, teaching him to value relationships, to always be a leader, and to leave a positive impact on those around him.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He wants to set an example for his siblings and take advantage of every opportunity that his parents\u2019 sacrifices have given him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;\u201cI want to become the best son I can to my parents,\u201d Sanchez Hernandez said. \u201cI want to become the best student I can be to all my teachers. I\u2019ve always thought about how I could make an impact. Football is going to be gone one day. I knew taekwondo was going to be gone one day. It\u2019s just, how can I leave a meaningful impact to people in my community?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One example of how Sanchez Hernandez made an impact is by volunteering to help some of his Spanish-speaking classmates with their math homework.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Oftentimes, the problems were not printed in English, and he saw an opportunity to step up and be a leader.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI went beyond just being an athlete and really emphasized being a student-athlete,\u201d&nbsp; Sanchez Hernandez said, \u201cI always think about the bigger picture. Maybe they\u2019re limited from chasing their dreams and goals just because there is a language barrier. I think a lot about the youth. It was something that I was very passionate about.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/Victor-Signing-Day-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5062559\" style=\"width:388px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/Victor-Signing-Day-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/Victor-Signing-Day-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/Victor-Signing-Day.jpg 782w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Victor Sanchez Hernandez with his loved ones on signing day.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sanchez Hernandez has also excelled as a student.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He took 11 Advanced Placement classes throughout his high school career and graduated with a 3.95 GPA. Prior to emerging as a football star, he planned to pursue an academic scholarship to pay for college.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He managed a daily schedule of school, tutoring his classmates, football practice, taekwondo, and completing AP homework at night.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI just felt really motivated to continue to work hard because my parents worked their butt off,\u201d Sanchez Hernandez said. \u201cI felt like that was a way I could repay them to show them how much I appreciate the opportunity that I have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Denise Bathurst worked closely with Sanchez Hernandez for two years as his academic counselor at Kamiak High School.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Bathurst, he has earned the nickname \u201cThe Unicorn\u201d because of his work ethic in the classroom and on the football field.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt the core of who he is, he\u2019s an academic kid,\u201d Bathurst said. \u201cHe\u2019s taken all he\u2019s ever learned in taekwondo, and now football, and he puts it in the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h5 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" id=\"listen-to-denise-bathurst-describe-sanchez-hernandez-s-character\"><a href=\"https:\/\/audio.com\/adsmith7\/audio\/denise-bathurst-interview-clip\" title=\"\">Listen to Denise Bathurst describe Sanchez Hernandez&#8217;s character<\/a><\/h5>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sanchez Hernandez\u2019s leadership and work ethic also showed on the football field.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He transferred to Kamiak from Lynwood High before his junior year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite the team winning just one game during his junior season, Sanchez Hernandez helped lead the team to a five-win improvement in his senior season. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.heraldnet.com\/sports\/kamiak-names-mclennan-new-head-football-coach\/\">Ivan McLennan, his head football coach at Kamiak<\/a>, called him a culture starter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think Victor falls in that line of game changers,\u201d McLennan said, \u201cI know he inspires me. I know he inspires all his teammates. I know he inspires people around his campus. And more importantly I know he\u2019s inspiring his siblings to reach new heights as well. It has been an absolute honor and a pleasure to coach Victor.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sanchez Hernandez is preparing to enroll as a freshman at the University of Washington and will play defensive end for the Huskies. He is hoping to make an immediate impact on the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWith my work ethic and the way I\u2019ve been training, both mentally and physically, I\u2019m really hoping I\u2019m able to play as a freshman.\u2019 Sanchez Hernandez said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Huskies will open their season on Aug. 30 against Colorado State.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"240\" height=\"320\" src=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/Anthony-Smith-Profile-Photo-rotated-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5062554 size-full\" srcset=\"https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/Anthony-Smith-Profile-Photo-rotated-1.jpg 240w, https:\/\/latinonewsnetwork.com\/waln\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/11\/2025\/03\/Anthony-Smith-Profile-Photo-rotated-1-225x300.jpg 225w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px\" \/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><strong>Anthony Smith <\/strong>is a senior in the Journalism and Public Interest Communication major at the University of Washington. He hopes to pursue a career in sports media, specializing in covering the \u201cwhy\u201d behind what motivates athletes and their pursuits of greatness.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Victor Sanchez Hernandez shows up as a leader all while honoring the sacrifices his Mexican immigrant parents made. 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