By Amy Cutillo |Staff Writer|
Tony Guerra is making his name as a pitcher for Coyote baseball. Not only is he finding success in college athletics, but he’s taking control of his future here at CSUSB as well.
Guerra began attending CSUSB in September after getting his Associate of Arts at Western Nevada College in Carson City, Nevada. According to Guerra, he learned a lot at that campus and was taught what it meant to work hard.
He will be getting his bachelor’s degree in Psychology sometime next year. Guerra attributed people’s behavior to his interest in the field.
Guerra grew up in San Pedro, Calif., where his biggest influences were his mother and brother.
Having seen a lot of things growing up that scared him, he wanted to go in the right direction. Soon he was introduced to baseball.
Guerra has his brother to thank for introducing him to the sport. His brother, who is older than him by ten years, always played ball in the neighborhood sandlot.
He used to go watch his brother and his friends play, and that’s when his love for the game first began. Guerra started playing baseball at the age of five and hasn’t stopped since.
What he loves so much about the sport is the competition and all the chances he has to interact with diverse groups of people.
He realized his actual love for baseball when he was nineteen, after he had his Tommy John surgery, also known as UCL reconstruction.
This is a common surgery for lots of collegiate and professional athletes, especially in the game of baseball. Guerra needed the surgery so he could continue to be a pitcher.
After the surgery, he said he saw the true meaning of the game. When I asked Guerra who it is that inspires him the most, he answered, “Myself.”
He explained that everybody is always doing the same thing, just working and working and living a repetitive life just to get by. “Do I want to work? No, I don’t. I want to do something better. I want to do what I want to do,” said Guerra.
Guerra hopes that once he graduates with his bacelors degree in psychology that he can open up his own clinic. “Have you seen the movie “Gridiron Gang?” That’s kind of what I want to do,” said Guerra.
“Gridiron Gang” is a film starring Dwayne Johnson, also known as “The Rock.” The movie is about working and helping out adolescents who are juveniles and on probation.
Guerra now 23, makes sure to take control of every opportunity that is thrown his way. With his passion and his drive, he is sure he can succeed in doing something to help others.
Having faced much adversity, many trials, and many tribulations, there is no doubt that Guerra will handle whatever obstacles life throws his way.