Good Sports: Reedley native now with Chivas at just 18 years old

REEDLEY, Calif. (KFSN) -- At conscionable 18 years old, Kevin Garcia has already accomplished 1 of his dreams.

Kevin was transferred to 1 of the astir fashionable pro shot clubs successful Mexico, and for the Reedley native, it's inactive a "pinch me" moment.

"It conscionable gives maine shivers still, however I'm here," helium said.

Kevin has played the crippled for arsenic agelong arsenic helium tin remember, but the athletics wasn't conscionable an after-school hobby.

At 1 point, helium was playing connected 3 antithetic nine teams. The crippled ever brought Kevin backmost to Reedley Sports Park.

At conscionable 16, Kevin turned pro, joining Central Valley Fuego successful their last play arsenic a portion of USL League One. He past continued to hone his skills with Fuego FC.

"I consciousness similar it helped maine turn due to the fact that I was enactment successful a spot wherever radical were older than maine and had much experience," Garcia said. "Fuego was for definite 1 of them that helped maine recognize my talent, and I'm precise grateful for Fuego for everything they person done for me."

From Fuego FC, Kevin was transferred to Chivas de Guadalajara, a pro squad that competes successful the highest league of Mexican football. For the family, Chivas has a peculiar meaning.

"Our gramps conscionable passed distant a twelvemonth ago," says Andreina Garcia. "He was really a large Chivas fan. When we recovered retired that helium (Kevin) was going to articulation the Chivas, we were like, he's surviving my grandpa's dream. Now he's going to person a guardian angel."

Now grooming successful Mexico, being distant from his household reminds Kevin of wherefore helium plays the game.

"They spent rather a batch of wealth connected me," helium said. "I promised them I would effort my best. I was going to wage them back. I ever made that promise. I had this thrust ever successful me. I inactive person it. I'm ever giving it my all. I ever person my why, and they are for definite my why."

What started arsenic a small-town kid with a imagination became a reality.

"The young ones, the ones that inactive person a imagination successful them, support striving, support having the aforesaid consistency," Garcia said. "Give their best. Doors tin unfastened up, and you ne'er cognize who's watching.

"It feels bully that idiosyncratic from specified a tiny municipality is becoming idiosyncratic big," Andreina said. "It's thing truly bully for the small kids that are trying to unrecorded the imagination conscionable similar Kevin is."

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