Icy Road Leads Local Talent to Texas Tech

It may sound somewhat cliché, but any sport contest can be viewed as a complicated chess match. The result can come down to a single play, a single moment, a final move.  Every move is constructed with a purpose, eventually setting one up for ultimate triumph or critical failure.

Sophomore special teams phenome John Garibay has faced many crucial moments, not only on the gridiron for the top-ranked Riverside City College football team, but throughout his life. His ups and downs led to him inking his National Letter of Intent (NLI) to attend Texas Tech University in the Fall of 2019.

Hardship shaped Garibay's life in a way that some student-athletes may struggle to relate. The Rubidoux, CA native was dynamite from the turf as he knocked home 15 field goals with his career-long going for 47 yards. Furthermore, he punted for just under 4,000 yards in two season. But those two seasons were bigger than simply training to play football. He hustled off of the field in order to stay on the field by providing for his family in a unique, but tasteful way.

Amongst a full class load, it was a struggle to stay afloat financially. In order to stay on the team and in the classroom, he began selling homemade ice cream on campus. Yes, you read that right – ice cream.

From strawberry to chocolate, Garibay came equipped with the frosty goodies from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on scorching hot Fall days. He provided an escape for his fellow student-athletes at a cheap price, while keeping his dreams on the gridiron alive. There was a high demand for his ice cream as many athletes would seek him out before and after practice. They waited for him to bring his ice cream to campus. He was known as the local "Ice Cream Man." There was high demand for his quality ice cream and he capitalized on the opportunity – something he could have very well learned in the classroom.

He truly had ice in his veins. Throughout his two-year career, he was responsible for 151 points and earned a 95 percent point-after attempt rate. He booted home nine field goals in the in his final campaign – an improvement from his six field goals the previous season. Furthermore, he was named the Southern California Athletic Association (SCFA) Special Teams Player of the Week twice in his career and was a two-time SCFA Frist-Team All-Conference award winner.