What did you do after Valley? Where did your life take you?

After Valley, I went to a combination of community college & NAU to receive degrees in the field of Web Design. During that time I met my wife, a Phoenix Christian graduate (it’s ok, she’s cool). We found out that we had a lot of mutual friends and should have crossed paths years prior when Valley and PC would face off in sports. We basically started dating the day we met and eventually got married in 2013. Around 2015, God laid it on our hearts to become foster parents. We were placed with our beautiful Ezaylea and eventually two of her brothers (Ethan & Elijah). God wasn’t done with us yet, as He placed Ezekiel in our lives in 2018. Now, we have 4 beautiful children that keep us on our toes.

Tell us a little about your daily work:

Today I am working as a Web Designer/Developer at U-Haul. Utilizing coding languages like HTML, CSS, and Javascript. I work on a team that handles internal tools for U-Haul employees.

What’s one surprising thing we don’t know about you?

On the side, I cohost and run a local internet radio station called Kazual Sportz Radio Network (or KSRN). We have a couple of shows each week that air on our website, Facebook, and podcasts. It’s become quite a passion of mine that I never knew I had before. Talking sports, interviewing players like Larry Fitzgerald (bucket list = checked), and supporting the community have been really fulfilling.

While you were at VCS, which teachers, coaches or classmates had the biggest impact on you?

At graduation, Coach Haagsma told me that I have a “servant’s heart”. I didn’t truly understand what that meant until later in a small group during my college years when making mission statements for our lives. Having a servant’s heart has been something I have kept my focus on all these years.

There are so many coaches and teachers that influenced me during my time there that I can’t thank enough. So many of you have ingrained great habits in me that I now use daily. All of the friends I made in sports have helped me grow and got me through a lot.

How do you stay connected with your friends from Valley and VCS?

Man, a lot of my friends are getting married and starting families like I did so it can be really difficult to get us all together. I can understand how busy children can make life become 🙂 . Thankfully, we are all at or in each other’s weddings and carve time out to get together when everyone is in town.

I’ve become more connected with VCS as a whole now with my two oldest boys attending the elementary school. It has been great to see them interact with smaller, Christ-filled classrooms. My prayer is that as many alumni families can send their kids to VCS as possible to further growth at VCS!

What’s one lasting memory you have of VCS?

Oh, there’s so many. From winning our first swim championship at VCHS, all the basketball memories, to senior ditch day. Most of all, it’s the fun I had with my best friends that I view the fondest.

Do you have any advice for current students? 

Enjoy high school as much as you can! The world is going to get so much bigger when you leave, and then immediately shrink when you hit your late 20s. You’ll find that you run into people from high school way more often than you anticipated!