“Something I live by and was told my whole life is hard work beats talent,” Max Barroso (11), quarterback of varsity football, shares, as his quote he tends to live by throughout his time playing sports. 

Max Barroso grew up in Ontario, California, where he began playing sports such as basketball and baseball. He first began playing football in his freshman year of highschool. 

 “Really just playing the main positions in baseball and basketball made me choose quarterback. I started playing when I was a freshman, so it was hard to adapt to it. But I got through it,” Barroso said. 

All athletes have a passion that is influenced by a role model while growing up. For model athletes such as Lamar Jackson, Barroso’s idol, his role model was his father, Lamar Jackson Sr.

Similarly, Barroso also believes that his role model relates to his idol’s as well.

“My biggest role model growing up was also my dad,” Barroso said. “He would always tell me to be a good teammate, work hard, and would always push me to my limits.”

Naturally, many athletes will support a professional group as well. For Barroso, that is the NFL team from Las Vegas, and a college team from right here in California.

“For the NFL I have always been a fan of the Raiders. For college though, I support USC,” Barroso said. “I like watching Caleb Williams. I think he’s inspired me to become a better football player, I like watching and using all of his moves and learning from his moves and adding it to my game.”

Athletes often find many challenges that all players will experience. For high school football players, these include the stress of balancing school and their practices all at once. 

“One thing I think that all football players experience is just being mentally challenged,” Barroso said. “To be honest, with everything going on with school and football every day throughout the season, sometimes it gets a little draining, but you just got to push through it and it ends up being worth it.”

Before coming to Ayala and becoming a part of the Bulldog community, Barroso started his football journey at Chino High School, later transferring to Ayala at the end of his sophomore year for his eleventh grade of high school. He became our varsity football’s starting quarterback after recent quarterback, Bryan Wilson, moved to Roosevelt High School. 

“When I was appointed starting quarterback I was ready to take advantage of my opportunity and make it the best that I can, just making sure they don’t take me out,” Barroso said. 

Becoming a Bulldog allowed Barroso to experience many firsts. For example, he played in his first Battle for the Bone, and was a big part of our Ayala 6-peat win on September 15 against the Chino Hills High Huskies. For Barroso, the experience seemed much different than what he expected. 

“It was a really big event, and at first I didn’t notice how big it really was until the game started,” Barroso said. “Later, everything went away, and I was just involved and focused in the game. It wasn’t until after the game when I realized how many people were actually there.” 

The new Varsity starting quarterback thoroughly enjoyed the feeling of being an Ayala Bulldog and winning Battle for the Bone. He later explained how good it felt to prove everyone wrong, describing the emotions as a huge relief.

Of course, no star player can be a star without the support of their teammates and coaching staff. After Barrosos transferred, finding his way around the new school and moving into the team was supported by the encouraging football players and coaches around him. 

“My teammates have helped me tremendously. I believe my linemen and my receivers have all helped me to feel welcomed, and just the whole team in general,” Barroso said. “My coaches did a great job of making me feel welcome as well, which made me really enjoy playing at this school because of them.”

Max Barroso experienced many obstacles, transferring being one of the biggest, that helped him be the player he is today. The help of his coaches, Coach Arthur Gracia, has been one of his biggest supporters. For him, the time he has already spent at Ayala, winning Battle for the Bone, and becoming a part of the Bulldogs community will definitely be one in his books.