For junior defensive end and offensive lineman Ernesto Ballesteros, football has gone from a sport he started playing in first grade to a path toward his dream of playing at the college level.
Ballesteros started with flag football, but he quickly found that he preferred the physical side of the sport. “I wanted to hit people and play aggressively,” he said, thinking about when he first put on pads. Since then, Ballesteros has continued to develop as an offensive lineman and defensive end. His growth has recently attracted attention from major college football programs, including UConn and Penn State.
The recruiting process picked up after he received his first offer from the University of Maine. More schools began showing interest, and Penn State eventually extended an offer after he performed at one of the school’s camps. “When you have a big school offer you, it kind of jump-starts the recruiting process, and now everyone wants you,” he said. However, getting recruited as a defensive end came with a challenge. Ballesteros played offensive line last year for KO and did not have any film at defensive end. Without film at the position, he had to prove himself directly to college coaches at camps. “That was my biggest challenge with football,” Ballesteros said.
Ballesteros and his father spent much of the summer traveling to camps at schools including Penn State, Boston College, UConn and Syracuse. The experience was demanding, but it gave Ballesteros the opportunity to show coaches what he could do at defensive end. His performances helped him earn the offers he has today.
Outside of team practices, Ballesteros continues to put in extra work to prepare himself for the next level. He spends time in the gym, works with trainers, gets extra reps on the field, and competes with teammates after practice. “I’m always going to the gym whenever I can and getting in the weight room so I can keep getting bigger, stronger, and faster,” Ballesteros said.
Ballesteros has dreamed of playing college football since he was young, making the attention from college programs especially meaningful. “We work really hard to get here, and I’ve been dreaming about this ever since I was young,” Ballesteros said. “It means a lot for it to really come true.”
With more visits scheduled and his recruiting process still developing, Ballesteros is focused on continuing to work and improve. What started with flag football and a love for playing aggressively has turned into an opportunity to pursue the college football career he has always wanted. “It’s a dream come true,” he said.
