VYPE: What year are you and what sports do you play at Southmoore?

Raphael Carrizales: I’m a senior and I do cross country plus track and field.

VYPE: Are you involved with any other activities or organizations?

RC: I’m also involved with DECA and SLAC at my school.

VYPE: How old were you when you started running and who introduced you to the sport?

RC: I was around six when I started running. My pops introduced me to the sport at a young age.

VYPE: How does running enrich your life?

RC: I’d say running makes me a better person in all aspects of life, whether it’s helping someone out cause they’re struggling or just supporting them from the sidelines.

VYPE: Who inspires you?

RC: God, my dad and my team all inspire me to do the best I can in all sports and to be the person willing to help someone in need.

VYPE: Which teammate, past or present, has had the greatest impact on you?

RC: A teammate that had the greatest impact on me has to be my close friend, Joshua Rammage. He’s a great guy who kept on pushing me because he knows what I’m capable of doing, and I really grew close to him last season. I can consider him one of my brothers, hope he thinks the same.

VYPE: What’s your favorite school subject?

RC: My favorite school subject would have to be history. I love learning cool little facts about the past.

VYPE: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a student-athlete?

RC: The greatest lesson I’ve learned is to always keep faith in God. Because no matter what you’re going through, whether it’s in school or life, if you keep faith in him, he will hold your hand along your path.

VYPE: What are your plans after high school?

RC: My plan for after high school is to join the military. I hope to get into the Air Force and become a pilot.