The Star is profiling Southern Arizona high school athletes whose seasons were cut short by the coronavirus pandemic. Each high school was asked to nominate an exceptional spring sport athlete who exemplifies greatness on and off the field, court or track.
To say that Nogales High School senior Dominique Acosta made an impression during her four years at the school would be an understatement.
A dual-sport athlete who shone on both the basketball court and track, Acosta earned accolades for both and broke school records for the latter pretty much right off the bat.
As a junior, Acosta hit a personal record in the high jump of 5 feet 7 inches and a season-best in the triple jump at 34-5. That same year, her first with the track team, she placed eighth in the high jump at state.
βShe was well on her way to another red-letter year in both of these events, as well as becoming an integral part of the 4x100 relay team,β said athletic director Eric Sowle.
In fact, before the track season was cut short, Acosta had already earned a spot at state for the second year in a row, having qualified in the high jump during the seasonβs first few meets.
βShe is a young lady of profound skill, both on the track and in the classroom, with a high standard set to meet her lofty academic and athletic goals,β Sowle said. βShe has a good heart, a proactive attitude, and is going to become one of Nogales High Schoolβs greatest success stories.β
So given all that, itβs kind of hard to believe Acostaβs immediate answer when asked how sheβs been spending the quarantine.
βIβm pretty much lazy,β Acosta said, backpedaling a moment later. βBut some mornings I do wake up and go for runs. After my runs, I work out, but usually at night.β
Not so lazy, by most peopleβs standards, which is no surprise to those who know the 18-year-old Acosta, who will be continuing her track career relatively close to home.
βNow that she is going to run track at Pima College, We have every confidence that she will only improve, and we will see bigger and better things from Dom, competitively and academically,β Sowle said.
Acosta plans to study physical therapy and continue her track career at Pima, although she says basketball will always be her favorite.
βThe intensity of the sport, it excites me,β Acosta, who was named the Class 5A Southern Offensive Player of the Year in 2019-20. βItβs a really long game, running back and forth and all the aggressiveness.β
Of the three track events in which she competes, high jump is her favorite, and Pima is looking forward to having her on the team.
βWeβre happy to add one of the best high jumpers,β Pima coach Chad Harrison said in April, when Acosta signed her letter of intent. βDominique follows a solid lineage of Pima Community College high jumpers.β
A self-described people person, Acosta is looking forward to getting back into the routine of school and spending time with her friends, as well as making new ones.
βIβm really outgoing. Iβll talk to anyone, doesnβt matter who it is,β Acosta said. βI think thatβs what people like: Iβm honest with them and they can trust me.β
But her outgoing nature extends past just those who know her. For Acostaβs senior project, she organized a relay for life to benefit newly-diagnosed local cancer patients.
βThat event was probably the best memory I had from high school,β Acosta said. βCancer survivors walked around the track with their family members, and inside the field there were tables with food given out and a place where they could just have fun.β
With a βphysically distant, but socially and emotionally connectedβ graduation ceremony in her immediate future and life as she knew it slowly returning to normal, Acosta is looking forward to getting a jump on her future.
But not as much as sheβs looking forward to something a little simpler.
βI have no options on what to make for food at my house, so I just canβt wait to go out to a restaurant,β Acosta said.
Her first choice?
βTexas Roadhouse,β she said.