Welcome to the award-winning The Hill Country Podcast. The Texas Hill Country is one of the most beautiful places on earth. In this podcast, Hill Country resident Tom Fox visits with the people and organizations that make this the most unique area of Texas. This week, we have our first guest host from Schreiner University, RJ Ochoa, who visits with Kiara Garza, a junior from the Class of 2026 and a guard on the Schreiner Women’s basketball team, to discuss her journey from Rio Grande City, TX, to pursue a degree in exercise science.
Garza shares her experiences growing up in a small, close-knit community and how it influenced her personality and aspirations. She delves into her high school basketball career, reaching the Thousand Point Club and transitioning to college basketball with its higher level of competition and maturity. The discussion takes a poignant turn as she recounts her freshman year injury, a severe ankle fracture, and the subsequent challenging recovery period. Despite the setback, her determination, buttressed by a strong support system of family, friends, and teammates, kept her motivated to return to the court. Garza talks about the emotional and physical hurdles she had to overcome and emphasizes the importance of resilience, teamwork, and never giving up on oneself. She also shares her future goals in basketball, plans for PT school, and a personal dream of opening a cafe with karaoke. The episode concludes with Rabell giving heartfelt advice to younger athletes facing setbacks or doubts.
Key highlights:
- Growing Up in Rio Grande City
- Transition to College Basketball and Freshman Year Injury-Recovery and Mental Struggles
- Return to the Court and New Coach
- Balancing Life as a Student Athlete
- Advice for Young Athletes
Resources
Other Hill Country Focused Podcasts
Texas Hill Country Podcast Network
Reel Creators of the Texas Hill Country
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