#81 Roy Lopez

Had the opportunity to sit down with Coach Roy Lopez—one of the most respected and impactful coaches I’ve been around.

After spending more than 20 years as a head high school coach, with stints at Marcos De Niza, Sunnyside, Tolleson, and Desert Ridge, he’s now continuing to make an impact as the defensive line coach at powerhouse Hamilton HS.

We dive into leadership, building real relationships with players, the importance of administration in program success, and what it truly means to serve others through coaching. We also talk about his journey, his son’s path to the NFL, and the impact of the Roy Lopez Foundation.

This one is about culture, connection, and doing things the right way.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Go ahead and get it going, man. I know um we'll we'll knock it out and go where it takes it. So um I'll go ahead and I'll I'll introduce you, Coach Roy Lopez. Um I don't know where to start, man. We've we've known each other for a long time. Um Roy was was the head coach at Marcos Deniza for quite some time. Very, very successful everywhere he's been. Um I coached we coached together at Mesquite High School, and um then after that I went to McClintock and you went down to Tucson and was the head coach of Sunnyside, and then came back up to the valley and was at Tollison and then Desert Ridge, and now now you're coaching at Hamilton. Hamilton High School.

SPEAKER_01 0:47

How's that going? Unbelievable. They honestly I tell people that they they they treat me better than I deserve, you know, and it's it's the reputation and and you kind of it's full circle because the athletic director there and another system principal have known me, you know, pretty much since I was a young assistant, you know, still making crazy mistakes. And but Brett Palmer and Dick Benitcheski, it just like and you know, the your reputation is and it's just that like I said, they they treat me better than I deserve. So it's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

I I know Brett, but I don't know Brett. But I I mean Bano, uh he was I mean, he was my main mentor when I when I got that job in McClintock. He was I and I didn't really know him. We just connected and man, I I still lean on him. Um he's been on here, he was one of the first, I think, ten. Yeah and we've been doing this for a year. And I mean he the knowledge that he has is just like I mean, you know.

SPEAKER_01 1:52

Yeah, that's crazy. Yeah, that's a good one. You talk about like motivation and and and public speaking and articulation, and and I think before Roy's pro day um down at U of A, I leaned on him like, you know, and he was like, he's prepared, you know, he his whole life he has been doing this football thing, and he and then he's like he'd just be himself. And he said some words to Jacob um that really the competent factor of just being himself. And um, yeah, you you lean on my I think quite a few people, yeah, he's so contagious, and I mean that's that's why he's where he's at. But they yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:41

Just a little background because I I don't want people that are listening to wonder. So your son, um I get this so people know kind of what we're talking about. Um, Jacob is your son. He's also known as Roy Lopez Jr. So you and I both do it. We go, you know, when I talk about him or someone asks about him, I'll go back and forth between calling him Jacob and calling him Roy. Yeah. So when you refer to Roy, you're talking about Jacob, and when you talk about Jacob, you're referring to Roy. But um Jacob is um what what year is he now in the NFL? Sixth?

SPEAKER_01 3:17

This is his sixth year, yes, sir.

SPEAKER_00 3:19

Okay, so he's back with the Cardinals. He he spent last season last two seasons with the Lions.

SPEAKER_01 3:25

He was just last season with the Lions, and then the two years prior, he was with the Cardinals. Right. Right. This first two years in the league, he was with the Houston Texans.

SPEAKER_00 3:35

Right. So um, you know, we'll get we'll get into that a little bit, but but I want to I want to kind of focus on because I think, and I think you and I have been around enough head coaches, myself included, and I mean you've mentored, I I know a lot of people in Arizona, a lot of head coaches that give a lot of credit to you for them for the for their journey and for their career as far as becoming head coaches. And everybody in the state of Arizona loves you, including myself, and um thinks so highly of you. I I going every I think every assistant high school coach has um aspirations to becoming a head coach. Or most of them do, not all of them, but most of them do. You've gone now from being a head coach and in and a couple years of mesquite while Roy was was finishing school in high school and then becoming a head coach again, and now you're working with one of the top tier programs in in Arizona as an assistant. What's that what's that been like? I mean, I you've never had an ego, so I know that that has nothing to do with it, but but going from leading a program and having all that responsibility to now worrying about fitting in on a staff and your position and just working with young kids, is it pretty nice? What's what's that like?

SPEAKER_01 4:58

It it's been uh a blessing. I don't want to, again, sound cliche, but it I it's been a blessing. It initially I wasn't gonna coach. I think I was gonna take a year and just kind of gather myself. I I didn't really want to get back into high school. You know, I was just there was so many uh uh in here in Arizona in in the 6A level, even in the 5A and 4A level, kids are you know jumping schools, uh administrations probably a little bit uh unless you have a a really good administration, you know, they're they're um they're they're kind of terrified to do some things or not do some things, and and it's just uh you see so much, and you and I've seen so much over my 30 year span that um it's it's it's actually to be honest with you, coach, it's been um pretty refreshing to just coach a position and and concentrate on teaching, you know, great fundamentals and technique, and and so it took me back to those first years with Pat Farrell and Tom Joseph, you know what I mean, and and honestly, uh back to Jim Jones, you know, to some some guys that you know made an impact on me that were very successful in their own ways, but um I I I and I go back and I always look at I had my best years of enjoying my son were at Mesquite, you know, after a 20-year career as a head coach at Marcos Deniza, to go with you guys and you guys just be like so welcoming and and Roy to this day will still say like that move made me grow up. And that that move, I wasn't the coach's son, you know what I mean? It it made me it it it uh it without mesquite. And I tell this to everybody, we love Marcos Deniza, but without that move and and that transition with uh Corbin Smith and Jerry Wheeler and and uh and Jim Jones, uh Roy's not as tough as he was or is. You know, so though you think about little things. So those those are things like right away that now being an assistant at Hamilton, that's one of the best programs in the state and then you know in the country. It's it's very nice to have uh to have guys, first of all. It's nice to have good athletes and good members. Um I think tra like I said, they all treat me better than I deserve, but I I think that they they see that I've learned from my mistakes and I've learned from my successes. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:46

Well, there's been a lot of successes, and and uh you're with some great people. I and I know you are. I mean, I've known Tuck since I was I mean, for almost 35 years now. Well, yeah, 35 years, maybe longer. Um, you know, and then Bano, I know he's not coaching, but got to know Travis pretty well, you know, in the same being in the same district for a year. Um But let me ask you this because I've hit on this, I kind of went through a phase of about four or five episodes where I was kind of on a rampage. Um and it had to do with what you said with administration and not asking you to talk bad about any because I know you don't do that, but I don't think in the day and age that we live in, I don't think that I think younger coaches that are first-time head coach or even just jumping schools as a head coach haven't haven't realized how important a strong supportive administration can be to your success as a head football coach. And I know you know that firsthand, we both do, but what what kind of advice, what what would you, what would you if if a coach came to you and said, hey, you know, I'm going on this interview, what do what do I need to look for? What are some questions I need to ask them? Because you and I both know the last couple questions or the last question of every interview is what questions do you have for us?

SPEAKER_01 9:10

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 9:11

And a lot of people just say, Oh, you know, when are you gonna make a decision or something like that?

SPEAKER_01 9:16

And that's the support system, right? You think about it. You think about our boys, you know what I mean? You you know, um and it's crazy because you want to make sure you have the best support system. And and uh and I and uh you know, you they have I we understand they have to abide by the AIA rules and they have to, but the overall picture is you know, we're there there's some shady, you know, things that go on and behind the scenes. And if you if you're not up with the up and you're not and the boys aren't, you know, like um taking care of each other and those type of things, and they see those administrators that are involved. They see those administrators that that will go the extra mile and and go down and and aren't afraid to get in front of the you know the upper-ups. And and you know, I had a talk with uh the last executive director and um Mr. Hines about like he he's like you you remember now uh Marcos, you you had a lot of kids from other areas. And I did, and we did, and we did. And I had Mike Griff, I had Mike Griffith, who was a football guy, and um, you know, uh Frank Maurizio were football guys, you know, and you think about how how much the Chandler district changed when uh Dupree came in from uh from Texas and the academies started, and you think about all those things. Think about Jim Ewan at at uh at Chandler, you know, and you you what attracts you know athletes, what's going to expose better athletes. And, you know, to tell a young coach to come in and just make sure that that that administrator is uh is ahead of the game or is and knows what goes on and doesn't get uh you know, I'm not saying necessarily stepped on or intimidated by some things because we all have to be rule followers, but you you have to understand that that uh um the the kids attract the kids and the school, you know, you have to have an attraction, and uh, you know, every luckily every place that you know uh we've been at the administration has has been supportive. And um, you know, you see the differences though. You do see some yeah.

SPEAKER_00 11:42

You know, it's it's funny because I've always said this, but Camille Castile, for those that don't know who that is, she was the superintendent of Chandler Um Unified Schools in in Arizona for quite some time. Um she got a high school, you know, named after Castile High School. But that woman, she was at everything. And and she was the top of the top in that district. And it started and it ended with her, and everybody knew it. And her undying and unwavering support for everything in that district, not just academics, but from any kind of extracurricular all the way down to to every you know athletic event um was pretty impressive. And and that's something, and quite honestly, to me, I mean, Chandler is still the without without a doubt, the best district by far in the state. Um and and I have a lot of love for the Gilbert Unified and Tempe. Um, but Chandler's just different, and she built it that way. Yeah. And um, you know, so for coaches out there, I think kind of what we agree on is just just make sure that you get a feel for the support. Ask people that work in the district, find out, you know, and bul and then believe them.

SPEAKER_01 13:03

You know, believe them. So and see how successful they are. I mean, you look at like the guys in the in the district offices, you know, you know, and and whether it's, you know, um, you know, the Rustads, the Delatores, you know, those uh now we have Anna Battle, you know, like we have some so you know, and you can you you compare and you're like, oh they all right, they they know what they're doing. They you know, you what do we say, you know, champions breed champions, you know, like those, okay, they know what it takes to to to get there, you know what I mean? And to have a district of champions, you know, those type of things. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:43

Well Anna Anna was at Anna Battle was at uh was at Tempe Union when I got the McClintock job, and I'll be honest with you, um besides the name of McClintock and and the principal was amazing, she was amazing, but and then Jermaine was there as AD still is. Um Anna Battles battles I knew if she was there that it was a good place to be. And then she left after a year, so after my first year. Um I'm gonna kind of switch gears here because I I kind of want to this is gonna be different, and I've never gone down this path, but you know, we spend as coaches, we we've spent our whole lives um our whole our whole lives of when we've had kids in the house of really coaching them, right? And hope, hoping that they can learn um how to be a man, how to be an adult, how to be a good human being from us, right? And you know, I mean, I I think you and I are similar in, you know, the fact that you know, our our kids were young when we both got divorced from their mom, uh, but but we still maintain that relationship, a positive relationship with the mom. Um now that Roy, because uh you and I both know when Roy was in high school, he's like probably 99% of high school athletes with talent. Like they hit a certain peak, they're really not being pushed. And so they they know how to work, but they don't always work like they should, right? Because they're so talented. Um and once you get to that next level, like Roy did, going to New Mexico State and then transferring to the UV, um, his work ethic changed, didn't it? Once he hit that next level. And now it's at a level that, I mean, obviously he's been in the NFL for six years as a D lineman. And, you know, I see the videos, I I see, you know, the things he's doing before and after practice and during practice and on his own, you know, out of the local high school. What has he taught you as a son to a father just from his work ethic and his leadership? Because his leadership has skyrocketed from he was a leader in high school, but it's just hit a different level. What do you think the biggest takeaways for you have been watching Jacob go through that process of being the uh one of the best high school football players in Arizona? Being a state championship wrestler, I forgot about that, to playing at a New Mexico State, which is eh to go into U of A, to you know, now playing in the NFL.

SPEAKER_01 16:25

Yeah, it it I've learned so much. I can't even tell you. I'm humbled. I it it's uh I have chills right now, I'm not kidding. Like you go into you go to all these um you go to all these stadiums and uh you you you're like you're boys out there, you know what I mean. I know you felt this because uh you and Jamie would go and watch Preston, and you know, I I still feel Preston can play to this day. I mean, I'm not I know you two do, but you know, and he and he and it's crazy because um so you go to all these like um big, you know, what you see on TV and what you've read about and what you've heard about, and you get to see him walk out and do his pregame routine and get to see all his preparation and all everything come to a head. And um it it uh it's just so fulfilling. You can see he's looking at me to get my reaction. I've taught myself not to beat, like I'm kind of getting a little emotional, but I've taught myself not to be emotional because he can read my face, and but he's really in his mind getting his body ready, getting his, you know, activating uh uh Derek Price would be proud right now, activating, uh firing up his muscles, you know, the the ones around the injuries, you know, and uh and so it's um it's crazy to to to learn that your young man has you know step stepped it up. When he went to New Mexico State, it was probably the best thing. And like I said about mesquite, it was probably the best thing for him to get away, but not get away. Right. When he got away from dad, it was and now remember I'd always ask you, I'd be like, why why are the boys going to Perry? You know what I mean? Like, what what are we doing here? You know what I'm saying? Yeah, and and and it was God's way of of showing me um when he got away from dad, he he really flourished. He really flourished. He really did. So if you were ever thinking like I need damn, I should have no. And he stepped his game up. Um we'd still work in the off seasons, but then when he took that step to the Pac-12 and he saw here for let's go back to New Mexico State. And they were playing they were playing against Washington State, against Kentucky, against um Arkansas, against, you know, there are plants of teams that you're like and he was grading out in the eighties and nineties. And NFL PFF was like, who is this kid? You know, and so now you go to Pac 12 and he's grading out the same against some of these kids. He makes all Pac 12 and you're just like, wow. And so he's like, he's now he's starting to do things in his head from people that have made it, you know, that he saw, and he's like, I can do this.

SPEAKER_02 19:30

No.

SPEAKER_01 19:31

If you remember before we took Preston, we took uh uh the twins, and we took some guys up to Vegas to do this like Nike opening deal. And uh and the boys did good. Well, I think it was then when that when everybody was like I can play with these guys. Right. I can play with these guys that are going to, you know, and and not that any of them needed confirmation or reaffirmation or you know, because we had people with big time programs say you can do this after first two, three times you see, and then you're just like, wow, practices were amazing, and that's where you like he always says, you earn your reputation through your reps. And it's the same thing at every level, and and you know that. But to to how he's made me better is um he I've been able to like how do you say it bite my tongue. I've been able to be more of an observer and uh you know just see so many so many coaches are so good, but then you can see the coaches that aren't. That aren't are like that kind of rest on their their laurels or rest on you know what has happened in the in the past. And and so you see the coaches that are engaged, and we saw a great coach and staff this last year in Detroit. Coach, it it was amazing. And so you get to see that on top of you know the coaches he saw in Houston and and now with the Cardinals. You you get to see the intellect part, you know, the the the not the BS part, you know, and not the jive part. Yes, and so it to to learn to uh pick up on that and and learn from my I'm still learning from him. It's it's it's uh good. It's uh it's awesome. And it's great to do it as a not as a head coach, as an assistant, and really just continue. That's when you know you're still you still have heart to do it. I you know, and and that you're you know, and uh I'm I'm in a good good spot right now.

SPEAKER_00 21:46

Good, good. Yeah. Let me ask you because um, you know, I I know I saw firsthand um with my own son and the other players, and and um you know, I always heard even before I really knew you, like at Mark. And I know that you're a proverbial um you know players coach. And when when I say that, I don't mean soft, I don't mean you know you you you focus on um what they want more than what's best for the program, but but you had uh and still have an innate ability to build connections with your players. Um, you know, you've obviously been at a lot of different places, and the culture for every kid is is different. The way that they grew up, um, what they've been exposed to, what they haven't been exposed to from a financial standpoint, from a family standpoint. I mean, you've seen it all. How how what's your approach when it comes to connecting to every player when every player comes from a different situation, different culture, different background? You know, it doesn't matter what color their skin is, or like Barry Odom said the other day, what you know, what music they listen to, or how much money they do or don't have, you know, how how how do you build that connection with with each kid?

SPEAKER_01 23:14

I I think I I I just truly care. I just truly know what I responded to, what you responded to. You know, even even our don't our own dang sons, you know what I mean? Like I had a great relationship with Preston and Brax, you know, and think about all the guys, and you know, and there's some there's some donkeys out there that'll try you, but I you know, being a I never really envisioned myself as a as a coach's player. I always envisioned myself as somebody who gives a shit, you know what I mean, who really cares for you more than than strapping on the cleats or strapping on the helmet. Uh and and I used FCA for a lot of that spiritual stuff, and you know, because you saw so many different types of um adversity and and diversity, you know what I mean? You think about all the you know how diverse Marcos Deniza was, how diverse we were at Mesquite, you know, and and uh even you know uh the the closest thing to a predominant, you know, uh Hispanic and was was honestly Sunnyside and Tulson, you know, and um there's good uh and D Ridge is pretty diverse, but the the reaction I have from my players is that you know, from our players is that we um they know I care, you know, even after, you know and one thing that that hurt, I felt like I was pretty good about placing kids in college. Just we had our connections like like you. And uh once you know that big that the transfer portal hit, you know, it just it it took it to a different level. We better be, you know, and but connecting with boys I think is them understanding that you care, no matter whether they're a star or not, whether they're a uh a kid that's a third string or fourth string, you know, offensive lineman to a all-American Roy Oliver. You know what I mean? Uh, you know, he he makes it a point to come from the other side of the field to make sure that you know he he gets that that vibe, whether it's uh, you know, whether it's a it's a it's a quick hug, whether it's a pat in the head, whether it's uh, you know, outwork them all, outwork them all out here. You know, and and yes, sir, let's go, you know, and and comes from a great wrestling family. All the, you know, we we still go to wrestling events and and you know, and and it's it's it's really cool, but as far as like, you know, connecting with every level of player, it doesn't matter. Like even the even the guy who runs the drones, he comes up like he's playing in the game. And it's a it is a it's a hard dab. It's a hard, let's go, let's go. And you know, he wants me to fill his triceps that he's been doing tricep extensions, you know, and and those are the things that are contagious that they take from from us, you know. Even you know, even Roy in his camps, he'll he'll make the littlest handicapped kid or or even a girl just like, you know, just saying that thing, you know, just saying, you know, great job, nice catch, good hustle, way to pick up your feet. Boy, you can run. You know, we always remember that coach that first time that said, ooh, nice power. Whoa, like you will always remember that coach that are like, oh, I can't, you know, whoa, he he does like me, you know, or that that so yeah, I you know, you always say, uh, you coach him, you know, coach him hard, love him harder, you know, that type of bit and all that cliche stuff, but um show it. That was that's my biggest thing. Show it.

SPEAKER_00 27:01

Right?

SPEAKER_01 27:02

Yeah, you I've probably been broke and just like you, buying kids cleats and and socks and 20s and and you know everything, you know, feeding those kids and you know, those things. We and you know, a lot of times I I I feel for you know our exes, you know, but they lived it, you know, they knew, you know, they they they lived it and they knew what what our passion was and and uh you know but at the same time, you know, life goes on. This is this is uh we're this was this sport made us.

SPEAKER_00 27:35

So absolutely. It was our vessel. You know what? I never realized how expensive peanut butter could get until I was at McCluetock. And and I'm spending, I kid you not, $150 a week on just peanut butter, you know, um just so kids would be able to eat. Do you do you think that it so obviously I think what a lot of people need to understand is when you build that connection, it's like nothing else. I mean, people talk about sales, outside business, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Um, sales is nothing more than relationship building. And so is everything else. And so that connection will uh is the thing when when coaches say they have discipline problems within their program or accountability problems within their program, well, you gotta look. I learned this early on, you got to look at yourself. Because if you have a connection with those kids, and I know you're not gonna connect with every single 100% of them, but if you connect with 90% of those kids, the accountability and the discipline is easy to instill because they trust you, you're transparent, they know that it's not coming from someone that doesn't like you. They truly know that it's coming from a place of love and and caring. And and, you know, you're you're we're the same in in the sense, and I I always say it because I think it's so important. But being a father, we coach every single kid the same way that we raise our own children. And um do you think that that connection, you know, you've built a lot of programs. Do you think that can connection based mentality was the foundation that was able to sustain a successful winning culture where you were?

SPEAKER_01 29:27

Absolutely. It it is uh, you know, when you when you set that, when you set that foundation, I and and even in my my kit and Roy and Arianna and Alexa, you know, you you you always you always tell yourself I I want to be a solid foundation. You know what I mean? I I think I explained this to you, and and even even in taking some of our friends, um, you know, you're like you want to set that loving foundation. And uh, and so like with with so kids know that there it's not a safe space, but it's a reliable space that they can rely on you. They can rely on a few words or a lot of words, you know, and then not just not anything uh I keep saying superficial or cliche, but real words. Like, listen, you're gonna be okay, Juan. You're gonna be okay. You know what I mean? And I can remember hearing you, you know, uh, you know, uh, you know, advice, you giving advice to, you know, different guys, and I can remember the same thing here. There everybody needs that advice. Even here at at Hamilton, it's it's uh it's crazy. You know, they're they have more resources than any other school I've ever been at. But it's it's also they still search for advice, they still have insecurities, they still have, you know, uh, what can we do better? What what why is it that you know they you have this and we don't? And I'm like, you know, it's uh be grateful for what you have. And and when the and when the boys see that you're grateful and that you're pushing to evolve them in every phase of life, not just ball, it's that's huge. They, you know, you you want them to be a good person, you want them to be a good student, then you want them to be a good athlete. Okay, so how do I become a better person? Well, you live right, you make the right decisions more than the wrong. You know, you get some inner beliefs, you have spiritual beliefs. You know, how do I become a better student? You study more, you understand your discipline with your attention span, your discipline with, you know, uh your work being done right. You don't depend on, you know, all this GPT and ATF and everything else, you know, you you you know, and and uh and then becoming a better athlete. Well, what's what do you do? What's your what what do you need to improve on? You know, what do you how how do you get stronger? How do you get faster? How do you get, you know, um bigger without getting too big, you know, and and so you know, those are things that when they hear you touch on those three things that yeah, they the the the foundation is set. And now you just, you know, like like you said, now you just play freely when you're prepared for a game. It's the same thing in life, you know. We feel good when all of our bill are our bills are paid and we we eat clean and we're living clean and you know we feel good. It's the same, it's the same thing. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:45

I wanna I want the last question I'm gonna ask you is about the foundation, not not the foundation of a program, but Roy's foundation. Um but before I do it, and this kind of leads into that. So you don't have to apply the two together, but just just tell me because I and I think I I realized this when I was coaching with you. I think this is when it really hit me that I always knew it, but I could never pinpoint it, put it into words. But the the coaches that are coaching are for the right reasons, not for their ego, not for to be able to go out and tell people what they do or uh are doing it because they believe in service, right? They believe in themselves, they see themselves as a servant. Um and so with coaching being a service industry, like I've always said, and I'm sure my listeners, the listeners on here are probably getting sick of me hearing hear me talking about service, but it's true because I think it's important. Today's day and age where people don't put service at the front of the list, right? Um, and us being having, you know, being servants and service industry. Um, to try and uh help them understand how important serving others before they serve themselves is.

SPEAKER_01 34:19

It's it's crazy because you can see as you uh and not so much your tree, but your affiliation or your who you were with, you know, when you first started, um to who you've coached, you know, and and and uh some of the players that we've coached are now head coaches. Um I would say a high percentage of players are coaching in some way or shape or form, whether it's their kids, and uh so giving back is it for us has always just been a a a normal thing, right? We've never really lived. My uncle Chuck um Escobel, who was a head coach for years down in Glendale, who was a stud, and you know, he passed away early from us, and and um, you know, to to your pops, to, you know, to we could go down the list of of how many coaches have pretty much showed us how to do things. Um and uh I think they see that we would give back whether it was going to an elementary school and doing a talk and talking about a whistle. I can remember going to um my daughter's uh kindergarten class. So she's my oldest daughter, and this is thirty yeah, thirty years ago. And I can remember saying, I have a magic whistle, and those little four and five-year-old, six-year-old kids just like, and when I blow this whistle, it makes all hundreds of boys do these things in in the same time, and and uh and she's sitting on my shoulder and they're just their eyes are just so big and I blow the whistle and the kids come running in and chanting, you know, uh a little football song, you know, and and uh and you know, and they just were like looking, well, that whole group now wants to be football players, you know, and and we took the cheerleaders and so you you you you you try to not so much mold, but you just try to influence in a in a in a positive way. And I think that's when you have guys come back like I know you have, and you guys have just you have invitations to, you know, and again, every everybody gets this, you know, to um, you know, to their weddings and uh announcements for you know their their kids.

SPEAKER_00 36:50

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 36:50

And uh, you know, just uh those things are like you now you know you've you've showed them how to give back to the community and you see them in at the at flag football games with their kids and they're you know giving back, whether it's setting up a bench and for you know their whole soccer team and and uh you know, just you see that they're giving back to the youth, and that's contagious, you know, and that's and and the more you see that the the bigger impact you know you've you've made on them. Now I've had kids also say, you were so tough on me, you made me cry every day, da-da-da-da-da-da. You know, a kid that owns his own business, you know, a success successful business here in uh in Tempe, uh, and he does really well. He's a barber, and you know, he was cutting Roy's hair, he does Roy's hair. And uh, you know, he was telling him your dad was just so mean to me. And uh yeah, Jacob was like, Yeah, well, welcome to my and it's crazy because I think back and you know, those were those times were very few. Now, when you were younger, you were a little bit more cutthroat and you didn't worry about so much. But as you get older, you do, you know, Jacob's like, You've changed, man, you've changed. And I'm like, oh I have it, no, I have it, you know. So you're just a little bit smarter to to not put yourself in a you know in a different situation. But you know, those foundation, th those things are what kids take with them forever. Um, yeah. And Roy's foundation is exactly that, coach.

SPEAKER_00 38:25

And he's yeah, tell me, let me let me ask you. So just and we'll we'll end with this, but just g give us an overview of first of all, you know, what it is, um, why he started it, and and just tell us about it, man.

SPEAKER_01 38:43

It's it's crazy and it's uh it's emotional, because you know this. Yeah. Um so Roy and Louis Ramirez started this. Uh his first year in the NFL. And he knew he had a do-it foundation because he knew he wanted to give back. Well, that first year, he was on the rookie ballot uh for Pro Bowl. And it was just like it was everything was just so whirlwind. And, you know me, I was just like, take care of your body, take care of your mind, use your hand. I was just all locked into that. While Louie and him were like, well, we gotta set some stuff up for the offseason, blah, blah, boom. Uh the Texans are just just really exploiting him. He gets picked to be a parade grand marshal.

SPEAKER_00 39:37

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 39:38

And he's a rookie, and so you're just like, so, and it was uh it was a Hispanic uh uh like Mardi Gras. They had all kinds of like it was incredible, hundreds of thousands of people, and uh we're throwing beads, you know, it was it was just the craziest picture. I don't know if you could see here, but he's he's he's and he's throwing hat.

SPEAKER_00 40:03

I know I remember, yeah, I've seen it multiple times. And it's just crazy cowboy hat on everything.

SPEAKER_01 40:09

He's just living it up. Something you see in the movies, and we're like, we're feeding, we're like we were throwing the beads, and it's I feel like I'm feeding animals, you know, and it's just it's it's a craziest venue. It's it's it's a Mardi Gras. It's like if we're in, you know, New Orleans. So um you you you get the you know, so him and Louie get the vision of of this and having giving back and having his uh you know his camps, his uh uh that was the beginning, you know, of of like giving back. We're gonna have just having the camp every year in Arizona.

SPEAKER_02 40:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:49

Yeah. And he would joke. He would joke. So when he was at U of A or New Mexico State, we had the sunny side Roy Lopez football camp. And all the players would be like, You already have your own camp, bro? And he's like, Yeah, what?

SPEAKER_00 41:02

You know, and and this was before NIL.

SPEAKER_01 41:05

Yeah, this was yeah, so you know, yeah. So it so it was uh it was pretty cool to to to see that loud that foundation be laid. And then and then, you know, more and more the family took hold of it, you know. His mom, uh, Veronica, she she um started a board, you know, and started doing things the right way with uh with her with her brothers and and uh my sister, my niece, and his cousins. And they now they come up with a board and they have titles, and we all have, you know, um expectations and responsibilities and obligations. And so now he's evolved it, you know. So even into this last year, donating thousands of dollars to a uh a school, a poverty school in in South uh Detroit, and they're gonna so we just said, let's just get them a bunch of PE stuff, you know, balls, equipment, you know, that type of stuff, um, to where they're they have enough stuff now that we've made a field. They're gonna name the field after Roy, after Roy uh Roy Lopez Foundation field, you know, and and so it it's really um to helping the Chicano Sport La Causa, who helps Roy's program, you know. So like when you give to those big organizations, they give back. And and now his even now evolving into his uh his with his agency with clutch, like it's it's just out of this world when you have Chop Shot, you know, taking care of 400 kids and you know, you you have Gatorade and you have, you know, you just it it's just kind of like evolved every year. We want, you know, this the uh a rock company um to a roofing company to uh construction. You know, yeah, it's it's just and everybody wants to be a piece of it. You know this as well as I know this. The Lopez Gomez family and Escabel family and and ro roll pretty roll pretty deep. You know what I mean? And and it and it and it's crazy um, you know, to see, and I I know for him being down, you know, on the field and looking up and seeing all the coaches that have made an impact in his life, like you, like you know, Jim and Jerry, and it's not said enough with Tom and all those guys that you know um that really you even even as as far back as as as James, you remember Rick James, you know, and and you know, you look at some of those guys that weren't afraid to tell him, hey, you have a chance if you do this, if you do this. Yeah, you know, and um so to to see the growth has been amazing to see him give back to kids and understand that's important. Yeah, that's important, like you, like this pod. Everybody's like, oh, I could do that, I could do this, I could do that. And until you like really make time to do this and cover different types of things that people are afraid to say or people afraid of, you know, like this is awesome. Like it's it's uh, you know what I mean? I think I think we get a live stream, I think we get a a you know, kind of let's uh who's the kicker that does it on ESPN? You know, uh what's his name? Uh they pay him good money. What's his name? I can't remember. You know who I'm talking about? The show.

SPEAKER_00 44:46

What's his uh oh um yeah, yeah, I know. Um that it's on game day. Why am I drawing a man?

SPEAKER_01 44:54

No, I'm like, let's let's, you know, we with the with the the depth of our connections and and the and like it's it's uh it's really neat.

unknown 45:03

I agree.

SPEAKER_01 45:04

People come up all the time and just like it's so neat that he's back home and and I'm so excited for you guys.

SPEAKER_00 45:11

Yeah, we're well I'm I'm really proud. I mean, everything that you that you you know you've taught me and I love you to death and love your family, and um I'm just so proud of you and so proud of you know your whole family and what the Roy Lopez Foundation does and continues to do. And that's that's a legacy right there. Not as plain, but that that foundation is a legacy. So Roy, I I appreciate it. Um hang on for a sec. Okay, God bless you. Thank you. I love you. I love you tell tell Bano and Tuck um and Travis. I said hello. I will.

SPEAKER_01 45:50

I will, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 45:51

Hang on for a sec, Roy.