As a college student, Diamond Bar High School science teacher Jose Marquez, spent his time both in science labs and on the football field.

Marquez first began playing football at La Puente High School after his father urged him to join the sport. He played all throughout high school and was on the varsity team for two years as an offense linemen.

In high school, Marquez was a League Academic Scholar, a title given to athletes with a top GPA in the league. He was named to the league’s  all defense and all offense first teams.

In addition to football, Marquez also participated in track, throwing shot put and discus.

“When you throw a shot put or discus, you have to try and throw it far. You have to be explosive, and it’s the same thing with football, you have to be explosive,” he said.

After high school, Marquez continued his athletic career in college. Along with playing football, Marquez double majored in biology and chemistry at the University of Redlands, a Division III school in Southern California. Throughout college, he played as an offensive linemen for the Bulldogs.

“It was cool to play football because I was stuck in labs all day and then I’d  just be able to play football and throw my stuff around and be completely opposite of being super nerdy in the classroom,” he said. “I enjoyed just having that academic release by doing something athletic.”

In his senior year of college, his team became All Conference champions, defeating the University of La Verne’s football team, an iconic win in his football career.

“My fondest memory in football was my last game I ever played. We played an undefeated and nationally ranked University of La Verne. We were not favored to win. We tied the game with the last minute field goal, went into overtime, and ended up winning. It was the first time I could call myself a champion of something and the last game I ever played,” he said

After college, Marquez coached football for 15 years, but as of now, he has stopped participating in the sport. However, he still continues to watch college football, which he prefers over NFL, in his free time. His favorite team is the UCLA Bruins.

“Sometimes when you watch it from a observer view up from the stands, it’s like ‘oh, they’re playing the same play again,’ but when you’re playing it, it’s a fight with the person in front of you- almost like combat,” Marquez said. “When you’re in it, it’s intense, and I like the competitive nature of it.”

Currently, Marquez is involved with crossfit and running, and typically trains twice a week. He has participated in the Surf City Marathon twice and a Bonelli Park triathlon.

Not only has Marquez’s past involvement in football helped him with his running endurance, but it has also shaped his character as well.

“[Football] has allowed me the ability to persevere through various life experience. When things get tough, I revert to the discipline that I learned in 8 years of college.”