Running Toward Redemption

As the deep purple and golden rays colored the sky, Ruben powered through his final practice lap, pushing himself harder with each stride. To other runners, he was just another driven athlete, grinding through a cross country practice. To those who know his story, Ruben is a testament to the power of redemption. 

A senior in the Wellness and Recreation program from San Antonio, Texas, Ruben Perez-Rodriguez has faced numerous challenges at William Penn. Just two years ago, it wasn't even clear if Ruben would be able to run competitively again.

Ruben played football at James Madison High School until he broke his finger in his freshman year. With the injury keeping him off the gridiron, he picked up cross country and fell in love. Naturally a fast runner, he was also willing to put in the work. 

Ruben was a cross country letter winner every year in high school, finishing with a personal best 5k time of 16:14. His passion for running also earned him three varsity letters in track and field.

Seeing Ruben's dedication and talent, former Head Cross Country Coach Sean Gosewich recruited Ruben to run at William Penn.

In his first year in Oskaloosa, he found quick success, finishing multiple races as the Statesmen's top runner. During his sophomore year, everything changed.

"It was like I was playing Jenga and pulled the wrong block," he said. "Everything just went down as I made several bad decisions."

Those bad decisions led to three arrests. For many, those arrests would have marked the end of their collegiate career and athletic aspirations. But for Ruben, it was a wake-up call.

He also got a new coach at WPU in Caleb Drake, who changed his trajectory.

"I hit rock bottom, but Coach Drake flipped everything for me," Ruben admits. "He made me want to work harder. Coach was trying to guide me, but I felt like I let him and the team down." 

With the three arrests, a litany of fees and fines came. Needing to pay the bills, Ruben started working three jobs and couldn't find time for his academic responsibilities. As his grades declined, he became ineligible to compete.

"I realized I was throwing everything away—my education, my sport, my future," he says. "I was missing out on a lot, and I didn't like that."

As he continued to pay back for his mistakes, he struggled to find his footing at WPU. His teammates didn't understand what he was going through, but he also didn't want to tell them as he was ashamed of his mistakes. As the year passed and he stayed on the right path, he felt a burden taken off him. He started to dedicate more time to hanging out with the team, regularly attending church, and grabbing dinner together. 

Though relationships were mending, he still hadn't told anyone about the arrests.  He finally decided to come clean to Coach Drake.

"I was thankful that he came to me and laid everything out," Drake said. "He was taking the correct steps to become eligible and get his life in order. With everything in the open, I was able to build a plan around his life to help him."

With support from Coach Drake, Ruben told his teammates about his personal issues.

"When I heard his story, I was surprised but then I saw his heart, grit, and effort," said D'Artagnon Beaver, men's cross country runner. "It is so inspirational to see where he is now. He has this desire and drive to be great. He puts everything on the line for the team." 

Now with a support system of his family, coaches, and teammates, Ruben continued his recovery with renewed vigor. After paying off part of his fines, he was able to quit two of his three jobs. With more free time, he started focusing on his education again and managed to pull his GPA up so he was no longer on academic probation.  After months of hard work, Ruben was reinstated to the cross country team. 

"I was happy that he was back," stated Coach Drake. "Ruben has the most heart on this team.  He understands the dedication it takes to be here and he gives us the time and effort it takes."

Today, Ruben is not just in the starting five for William Penn's men's cross country team, but also a mentor to the whole squad. He uses his experiences to guide others who may be struggling.

"The place he came from as an athlete and person was one of the lowest points," Coach Drake added. "He is an example of resilience on the team for everyone to model."

"I'm not proud of my mistakes, but I've learned from them," Ruben said. "I try to remember that I came here for a reason, and I want to get it done."

As he looks ahead to graduation next spring, Ruben is focused on his future—both as a runner and as a person.

"I want to keep running and coach cross country one day," he says with a smile. "I want to coach like Coach Drake, helping shape kids to have a great life and do great things."

For Ruben, the race is far from over. And with every stride he takes, he moves further away from the mistakes of his past and closer to the promising future he's worked so hard to reclaim.