From the weight room to the wrestling mat to the football field, Nathaniel Guzman has built his junior season around a simple responsibility: be someone his teammates and coaches can count on.

Guzman is a multi-sport athlete who competes in football, wrestling and powerlifting, bringing the physicality and discipline developed across all three sports into every practice and competition. While individual improvement matters, his strongest motivation comes from the people around him.

“A big motivator for me is my coaches and my teammates because I want to make sure that I’m making them proud and doing what I can to make the team better each and every day,” Guzman said.

That team-first mindset is fueled by the example set by his father. Guzman said his dad has consistently challenged him to become a better person while also providing steady support during difficult moments.

“He pushes me every day to become a better person,” Guzman said. “He’s always made sure he was there for me and made sure to pick me up when I was upset. He’s always been there for me and always pushed me to be my best.”

On the football field, Guzman has also found an important mentor in Coach Naylor, his offensive line coach. Beyond helping him grow as a player in the trenches, Naylor has offered guidance that reaches far beyond Friday nights.

“He really has built me up in football, and he’s also given me a lot of advice just in life in general,” Guzman said. “He’s helped me become a better person, helped me get my schoolwork done on time and just been a great role model for me.”

Guzman understands that success requires work away from competition, too. Balancing athletics, film study and school assignments takes consistency, he said, especially during football season.

“It takes a lot of dedication and perseverance,” Guzman said. “It’s all about consistency and being there on time, making sure you turn in your work.”

One of Guzman’s favorite memories came during last year’s playoff run, particularly the second round. He remembers the atmosphere, the intensity and the shared effort it took for the team to reach that point. Those moments reinforce why rivalries, including matchups with Ada, matter so much.

For Guzman, representing his school is not something he takes lightly.

“This school has given me so many opportunities in life and in sports,” he said. “I wear it with pride because this school means so much to me.”