Exchange student in Iola tries football
By Holly Neumann
Coming all the way from the Canary Islands, José Manuel Puente Reyes is getting the experience of a lifetime as an exchange student in the Iola-Scandinavia School District.
The quiet and somewhat shy young man met I-S teacher and football coach Scott Erickson on the first day of school.
“José was in my physical education and was not sure what he wanted for activity,” Erickson said. “I asked him if he had ever kicked a football and he said no, only a soccer ball. I ran to the locker room for a football and a tee and after the first kick, I saw he had a very strong leg.”
After a couple of kicks and some adjustments, Erickson could see the potential the new student had as a kicker for the Thunderbird football team.
“We went to the practice field and he kicked a 35-yard field goal with plenty of distance,” he said. “Later, he made a field goal from 40 yards. I asked him if he would consider playing on the team and he said he would have to ask.”
Later that night, Erickson received an email from Puente Reyes’ host family, Adam and Jaymie Noack, stating that he could play.
The 16-year-old, who plays soccer back home, said his first season of football has been an incredible experience.
“In football, you have to run the plays the coach tells you to do,” he said. “In soccer, you have to do what you think you have to do.”
Puente Reyes loves tackling.
“In soccer, you can’t do that, so this is new for me and it is great to do,” he said. “I like to kick, but sometimes I am bored because I just kick. I understand that there are more people that have to play.”
Sports in Iola are much more serious than in Puente Reyes’ home country.
“In Spain, it is more for having a good time,” he said.