Training In Mexico Continues Sada Chapa's Stride Towards Senior Season At Reagan

San Antonio Reagan football is usually contending for its district's top spot. 2019 first-team all-district honoree Roberto Sada Chapa wants to continue the Rattlers' trend in 2020, even with their UIL realignment move from 27-6A to 28-6A, and San Antonio Brandeis and San Antonio Clark replacing South San Antonio as the non-North East ISD district competition.

"It gives me plenty of confidence," Sada Chapa said of how his postseason honor from a year ago puts him in a position to find more success this fall.

It wasn't the only recognition that Sada Chapa got during the offseason. Recently, he won the Top VYPE San Antonio Linebacker Recruit Poll with 40.26 percent of the 86,055 total votes.

"It definitely makes me feel encouraged knowing that I have family that cares that much about me [and] would vote continuously," said Sada Chapa. "Not just family, but obviously friends too. I know that a lot of people were involved in this."

Sada Chapa is obviously surging into his senior season, and plans to be a team leader once games begin in September.

"Honestly, the only goals that I have this year are not personal," said Sada Chapa. "I just want to win district and play in January. Make a deep run into the playoffs."

"I'm definitely going to have to play aggressive every play," he continued. "I know that for sure. Being a senior linebacker and a third year returner, I know I need to set the example for a lot of the younger guys. After I make a big play, I won't be screaming and jumping. I'm just keeping my head down and getting ready for the next play."

Every Texas high school athlete has had to change their offseason preparation this year, and Sada Chapa is no different. He spent the majority of the COVID-19 quarantine with his family in Mexico, and was training there. He actively worked out with push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups, shoulder presses and monkey bar dips, and lost 25 pounds. His teammates back in the United States of America were also pushing themselves, even when they weren't sure if there would be a football season.

"I've been back for a week and it feels like I never left," said Sada Chapa. "I know that a bunch of us were working hard every day. And now, to the fact that it looks like [the season's] going to be here, the biggest problem is gone and we're all just excited to get out there."

The UIL ultimately started 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A athletic events on time and pushed back the 5A and 6A schedule from August to September. Sada Chapa is so in favor of his team's first 2020 kickoff, that he's embracing the new timetable.

"I would say we can almost call it an advantage," said Sada Chapa. "We have more time to...get the mental part of the game ready."

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