CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Mary Carroll High School's Principal, Robert Arredondo, oversees the safety of about 2,000 students. But, did you know Arrendondo was also the starting safety for the Mary Carroll High School football team 30 years ago?
"This is a relic! This a relic from last millennium," Arredondo said while showing KRIS 6 News reporter Tony Jaramillo his helmet from the 1994 season.
"These stickers were for interceptions, touchdowns blocked kicks, etc, these are player of the week, these are for bone-crushing hits," Arredondo exclaimed.
Arredondo played different positions but was the starting safety for the Tigers and wasn't afraid to make a big hit.
"Here, you see the color of some of those other schools," Arredondo said.
For him, seeing the Tigers take the field every week is a blast from the past.
"Those memories come flooding back because I’m at the same stadium that I played in," Arredondo said.
He also said he sees a bit of his teammates in today's players.
"This squad reminds me of that senior season. We chose to play a really strong non-district schedule that served us well in the playoffs," Arredondo said.
Memories made on the field and between teammates are ones that bond the Tiger community together forever.
"The relationships built with your fellow student-athletes, those bonds are going to last. 30 years later, I still text my boys," Arredondo said.
As Arredondo enters his 4th year as a school principal, his focus is now off the field.
"I believe to my core, that the success of any high school are students participating. Participating in clubs, sports, and organizations. And when we're plugged into an adult, someone who cares, someone who’s going to create structure, goat things are going to happen," Arredondo said.
The former safety believes the hard work is paying off.
"Our participation is just growing. And with that, there’s a trajectory of academic achievement and school culture going up," Arredondo said.
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