By Derrick Smith

There are people that are part of our lives for the majority of it, while there are others that are there for just a season. Either way, they both can have an impact on who we become. Roger Hernandez says that he would not be who he is today without two special people. 

“My mom and stepdad would be the people that have impacted my life the most,” he said. “My mom has always been there for me. She goes to all my games and without her and her constant support, I wouldn’t be where I am today. My stepdad is the one that taught me everything I know about soccer. If it wasn’t for him, who knows if I would’ve ever played. Every Sunday I would always go with him to the fields and play for hours. Sometimes from the morning till the sun went down. Sadly, he passed away in 2014.”

Roger is a senior at Commerce High School. He is a dual sport athlete, playing both football and soccer. On the football field, he plays cornerback, wide receiver, and kicker, while on the soccer team he plays midfield and forward. 

It has taken a lot of investment of time and work from Roger in order to be the best athlete that he can be.

“It’s taken dedication, a good mindset, time and hard work,” he said. “No matter what, I’ve always given it my all whether that be in practice or in games. For example, when I don’t have practice, I always go work on my shooting drills and footwork to make myself better.”

While he has enjoyed some cool moments with his teammates during his career, Hernandez says that there is one memory that stands out. 

“I would have to say that my highlight moment definitely has to be when I scored a penalty kick with a few minutes left against Summit Christian to send us to the finals of the Locust Grove Tournament.”

Along with playing sports, Hernandez is a member of Students Against Drunk Driving, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Science Club, and the Native American Club.