Sunnyside wrestler is West Point-bound, making district history

For the first time in the Sunnyside Unified School District’s 65-year history, a graduate is West Point-bound.

Jaime Rivera Jr., standout student and three-time state champion wrestler signed his commitment letter in front of a crowd of more than 100 students, parents, alumni and neighbors who packed the Sunnyside High auditorium Friday afternoon to celebrate the moment.

Rivera Jr., a second-generation U.S. Citizen, posted a GPA above 4.0 while balancing a rigorous workout schedule and advanced placement classes.

“Having a kid like that is a blessing,” Sunnyside athletic director Casey O’Brien told the Star. “We’ve had a good wrestling program for a long time, obviously, but what makes Jaime unique is that he has the wrestling acumen but is also a top-class student.”

O’Brien said the program has been trending in that direction in recent years, with students like Rivera Jr. being the reason.

“A student like him is equitable to Roman Bravo-Young,” O’Brien said, referencing the Sunnyside graduate who is now a top wrestler at Penn State, a two-time national champion and an All-American.

Having students like Rivera Jr. on the team “creates a path you can follow if you put in the time and effort over the years,” O’Brien said.

A ‘grinder’ in the classroom, on the mat

In the past five years, seven Sunnyside wrestlers have signed with Division I schools. Schools don’t get more selective than the United States Military Academy. A look at a recent admissions class shows that 12,294 prospective students started the process … and just 1,210 were admitted. Many applicants play varsity sports or are otherwise involved in the community.

West Point’s own website says prospective cadets must “do your absolute best in all your classes and standardized tests, compete in athletics, and seek out leadership opportunities in your school and in your community” to have a chance of admission.

Rivera Jr. wasn’t daunted by the numbers. He was recruited heavily by rigorous academic institutions, picking West Point over Princeton, Harvard, Michigan and Wisconsin, his father said.

That kind of example resonates among Sunnyside students.

“He’s showing them if he can do it, they can do it,” O’Brien said. “His family and support system and himself are incredible. It’s a kid and a family from the south side of Tucson that has legitimately never made an excuse for their kids and their selves and have had a hunger and desire to make the best for themselves.”

Minutes before Rivera Jr.’s signing of his commitment letter Friday, his father and namesake, Jaime Rivera, called the experience “unreal and immense.”

“We’re very blessed to be in this scenario here,” he said.

The Riveras don’t have a family history of military service, and so there was initially some concern when Rivera Jr. announced plans to attend West Point. All students who attend West Point have their college paid for. In exchange, they must serve a minimum of eight years in the military between active and reserve duty immediately following graduation.

“We’re first-generation here, my wife and I, from Mexico,” Jaime Rivera Sr. said. “That’s a big thing for us. It normally takes a long time to get into an institution like this, generations and generations.”

Coaches told the Riveras that most of the wrestlers at West Point don’t have a military background.

Jaime Rivera Jr. said his son has always been a grinder, starting his homework on the bus rides home from school so that he had more time for workouts.

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“He’s still like that. He’s just a grinder in the classroom. You never have to tell him twice, and in the wrestling room, it speaks for himself,” Rivera said. “We’re excited he gets to serve his country and do some big things there.”

Leadership calls

Jaime Rivera Jr. is set to arrive in West Point, New York, on July 11. He won’t get much of a break before he leaves, though. He is set to attend several wrestling camps before he leaves for college; he’s also helping a pair of his Sunnyside teammates put on a free camp for the community.

The younger Rivera has been wrestling as long as he can recall. His dad, a former wrestler, used to take him and his brothers to practices and made sure it was a part of their lives from an early age.

“It’s a family affair sort of thing,” he said.

And it’s not just Rivera Jr. and his father. The family’s two younger sons are both wrestlers, with middle brother Christian wrapping up his sophomore year at Sunnyside. Christian Rivera has his own state championship under his belt and is expecting calls from college recruiters this summer.

Although Rivera Jr. and his brothers have been wrestling since they were kids, it wasn’t until he transitioned into middle and high school that he realized he could capitalize on his talents.

“From a young age, I’ve always had the academic side of things going for me,” he said. “The Ivy League or one of the service academies has always been my goal.”

Leadership has always called out to him. It’s one of the reasons he was named captain of Sunnyside’s wrestling team.

“West Point centers themselves around leadership a lot; they’re one of the best leadership schools in the world,” he said. “And I’ve stepped into that leadership role (at Sunnyside). It’s important for me to give back and keep the legacy of this program going.”

Rivera Jr. plans to major in engineering and hopes to work in military intelligence during his service. His education at West Point is valued at $300,000, according to Sunnyside officials.

“For kids just starting out, I think they realize it’s not always going to go good for them. There will be losses, there will be ups and downs in everything they do,” he said. “It’s important to persevere and stay with it and stay determined and focus on the end goal of what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.”

‘There is no limit’

Sunnyside’s auditorium filled up quickly for the signing event Friday, with Rivera Jr. taking time before and after to pose for photos, shake hands and exchange handshakes and hugs with his teammates and friends.

Principal Ricky Torres said it is widely known that the school is the dominant wrestling program in the state, but he also wants it known the school is a strong academic institution.

“We have high expectations of what we expect of our wrestlers in the academic setting as well as outside of the academic setting,” he said. “What Jaime represents is someone that can do both, and we’ve seen many of them coming out of this school, and we’ll continue seeing many of them coming out of this school.”

A retired Army colonel and West Point alumni was on hand to present Rivera Jr. with his letter of commitment, reading off a list of West Point graduates who had gone on to do great things, including two former U.S. presidents.

“This step to West Point is not a bragging center for me, but it’s kind of a message more for you guys, not just here but in the whole community,” Rivera Jr. said. “You can go out there and really do whatever you want to do with this life. The sky isn’t the limit; there is no limit. Anything you want in this lifetime, you can achieve.”