Classroom Champions: Robinson’s Elijah Ballard

ROBINSON, Texas (KWTX) - When Robison senior Elijah Ballard steps onto the soccer field, it’s hard not to notice his brains.

“I liked to say that I’m smart,” he said. “Or that I know what to do, and know the field around me, knowing where everyone is. I’m a very aware player and I think it benefits me a lot.”

His intelligence as a player has helped earn him All-District honors. His coaches say they enjoy having a “smart guy” around.

“To me it’s easy to coach kids that are intelligent because you give them directions and they immediately understand what you’re trying to say,” said Robinson head soccer coach Cain Quiroz.

“We have a running joke when we pick up equipment or do something, he’s one of the guys I call on and say ‘Hey Elijah, you’re one of the smart ones, help us count the balls’ or help us do these types of things,” said Quiroz.

In his free time, he runs a vintage clothing store called Bins Bums with one of his teammates. They have their own website, Instagram page, and they even put on a few pop up shops.

“I really like to thrift, so that’s one of my biggest hobbies,” said Ballard. “Vintage clothes, vintage collectibles. We also resale shoes, hats, a ton of stuff like that.

He’s already been accepted to the Mays School of Business at Texas A&M University. He plans on earning a business degree and then eventually attend law school.

“I have a lot of close family friends that practice law,” said Ballard. “I’ve always had a dream about being a lawyer, I really aspire to be one.”

As Ballard wraps up his senior year, one thing’s for sure, he will be missed at Robinson.

“It’s gonna be hard to replace the person (he is),” said Quiroz. “When you talk about the athlete, he’s very calm when he plays and composed. He makes the best decisions that we could ask for back there. We’re gonna miss that from him on the field.”

Congratulations to Elijah Ballard, you’re a Classroom Champion!

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