LEAVING IT
ON THE MAT
Head wrestling coach Reyno Arredondo was recruited to West Point University as a soccer player and wrestler after graduating St. Mark’s in 1987. Arredondo went on to serve 30 years for the United States Army where he earned several ranks and accomplishments before returning to 10600 Preston Rd. in 2017. Throughout his childhood, high school, and collegiate sports career, Arredondo has absorbed several life lessons that athletics introduced to him. I attribute a lot of my physicality and my athletic success to my older brothers. I either had to rise to their level or I couldn’t play with them. Even though I was a small-framed guy, I could always compete with the biggest guys because of what I learned from my older brothers.
TAKEDOWN During a wrestling match, Reyno Arredondo holds his defender from behind as he prepares for the takedown.
Sports made my heart happy as a kid. I lived on the other side of the tracks and the dichotomy between where I lived and the St. Mark’s community was pretty big, but in athletics, when you put on the same uniform and play on the same field, nothing else matters.
One of the reasons playing baseball was good for me was that I played baseball in my barrio in West Dallas. Having the opportunity to play a sport with the friends in my community was pretty cool. The guys in my community didn’t really like me because I went to school at St. Mark’s, but when we played sports together in the summer, all of that went away. Interview Luke Nayfa Photos Courtesy Reyno Arredondo
HARDWARE After beating the Naval Academy Preparatory School for the annual Army Prep vs. Navy Prep game, Arredondo stands proudly next to his trophy. ENDZONE — MAY 12, 2021 | 13
