Estiven Garcia Describes Journey as Leopard as a Dream Come True by KDQN's Patrick Massey
DE QUEEN - He's not even 30, but De Queen's Estiven Garcia has already racked up a long list of athletic and academic accomplishments.
Garcia is a two-time (2012 & 2014) MVP soccer player for De Queen High School; a 2015 All-Star MVP; a recipient of a Wendy's Heisman Award; a 2020 graduate of Arkansas' prestigious Lyons College; a 2016 AMC Freshman of the Year: and a recipient of Academic All-AMC honors.
However, Garcia only recently embarked on what he sees as perhaps his most outstanding achievement yet: the chance to return to De Queen and find a career in education. He just entered the second semester of his first year as a De Queen Public Schools teacher. He serves as an assistant coach for the De Queen's soccer and football programs and a physical education instructor.
Garcia saw none of this in his future when he arrived in De Queen from Medellin, Columbia, in 2010. As an eighth-grader fresh to the United States, Garcia didn't know the language. He didn't know the culture. He didn't De Queen or much else about Arkansas.
"It was tough," says Garcia, looking back. "I couldn't communicate with anyone. I had to be dependent on others for everything, and I just wasn't used to that. I had to learn the language, the culture, and everything like I was brand new."
Besides his mother and two younger brothers, Garcia had trouble connecting with others in De Queen. That is until he was able to start playing soccer in 2011.
"I had played soccer since I was five years old, thanks to my cousin who got me interested in it," Garcia explains. "It became my whole lifestyle. I had to wait a year to play, but it made me feel like I was at home when I finally got the chance. It gave me the connection to feel like I belonged here."
In-school varsity sports aren't an option for most Colombian kids. To play, students have to join intramural or club sports outside of school. For Garcia, the chance to play for his school was an exciting possibility.
"It was heartwarming for me to do what I love for my school and as part of my school," he says.
Garcia played all four years of high school for the Leopards. He earned those two MVP awards and tallied up an impressive high school soccer career: 142 goals while leading the Leopards to three state championships in 2012, 2014, and 2015. It was an impressive record, especially considering he was slowed by a knee injury in the final weeks of his senior year.
Thanks to support from his friends, coaches, and one impressed college recruiter, Garcia secured a full scholarship to Lyons College.
"Even though I was hurt my last year of high school, they offered me a good scholarship," he says. "And I think it worked out well because I went and played some really good soccer for them."
Garcia played collegiate soccer for Lyons for three of his four years there. In the fourth year, he moved up to semi-pro. He received his degree in Spanish Language and a minor in physical education. That, he explains, would never have been an option in his home country of Columbia.
"It's either school or sports," he says. "There's no option to do both. Being able to study and play at the same time was like a dream come true."
After graduating in 2020 (without a ceremony, thanks to COVID-19), Garcia landed a few side jobs in construction and helped his mother as a tax preparer. He began volunteer coaching for the Leopards a couple of years ago when he realized his passion for high school athletics was as strong as ever.
"I realized I wanted to share the knowledge I had, the lessons I had learned, and help give kids the opportunities others had given me."
At the beginning of the 2023-24 school year, that hope became official. He was hired as a full-time coach for De Queen's soccer and football programs. He also teaches physical education districtwide.
"That has been very rewarding, the ability to share my knowledge with kids of all ages," he explains.
Most of De Queen's soccer players come from a Latino background. As a native of South America and as a fluent Spanish speaker, Garcia believes he's well-positioned to build a unique connection with his student-athletes.
"For some of them, it's helpful to have someone with a similar background to talk to, to learn from, and to see that if they work hard, they can do the same thing."
Garcia credits Head Leopard Coach Stephen Sloan as being a major source of inspiration in his life. He played under Sloan and now works alongside him to build the next generation of De Queen soccer players.
"He is a great man, always supported me on everything, and trusts me to do the right thing," Garcia says. "That has always meant a lot to me, and I feel lucky to have met him all those years ago."
Alternatively, Sloan has described Garcia as an extremely talented, approachable, smart, and committed young man. During Garcia's high school soccer career, Sloan said Garcia was the kind of kid "you dream about getting to coach. It's been an honor to coach him."
Garcia is excited about the current season and what the boys and girls will accomplish this year. He said both teams are ready, they're motivated, and they're hungry to win.
No matter how the season goes, Garcia is just happy to be back in De Queen and living his passion.
"I love what I do, I enjoy it every day," he says. "To be up here helping build up the next level of leaders and players, that's a dream come true for me."