Mentoring helps Parkside athlete become a star and a role model

More than five years ago, Parkside head wrestling coach Burt Cashman was on his way to his nephew’s house to spend time with the family.

When he walked into the house, Cashman saw a young Jose Vazquez-Ramos playing video games with his nephew. Introducing himself to the then-eighth grader, the Parkside coach was impressed with Vazquez-Ramos’ size, thinking immediately that he had a future in athletics.

“The coach in me was like, ‘Where do you go to school?’ " Cashman said. “He said Salisbury Middle, and I said, ‘Where are you going to high school?’ and he said Bennett High, so right there I didn’t really talk about sports or anything. I just said good luck.”

Flash forward a few months, and Cashman spotted Vazquez-Ramos out back of Parkside prior to his freshman year.

The 14-year-old was there to lift weights in preparation for football, but informed Cashman that he had recently moved and would now be attending Parkside in the fall.

Almost instantly, the wrestling coach’s eyes lit up, envisioning all the possibilities Vazquez-Ramos could have if he committed to wrestling

“I said, ‘Oh OK, well you’re wrestling this year,’ ” Cashman said with a laugh.

The rest was history as Vazquez-Ramos joined both the Parkside wrestling and football teams, becoming a four-year athlete and strong force throughout the Bayside Conference.

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The dual-sport, 260-pound athlete would go on to become one of the most decorated jocks in school history, racking up several All-Conference awards on the football field while qualifying for the state wrestling tournament multiple times.  

Away from the field and mat, Vazquez-Ramos, now a senior, is regarded as one of the most popular kids at Parkside, with almost every student greeting him in the hallway and cheering him on from the sidelines.

Both physically and figuratively, Vazquez-Ramos has taken on the role of big man on campus, but things weren’t always what they seemed for the longtime athlete.

Throughout his time at Parkside, Vazquez-Ramos has overcome many obstacles, but due to the people he’s surrounded himself with, the Rams athlete said he’s well on his way to a bright future.

“I improved a lot throughout the years,” Vazquez-Ramos said. “I’ve learned a lot from my coaches and others, and I’ve become a good person because of it. I’m doing the right things, and hanging out with the right crowd.”

An early struggle

When Vazquez-Ramos entered Parkside in 2014, schoolwork wasn’t his biggest priority.

The freshman would attend class and take exams, but could never stay focused long enough to obtain the information his teachers were presenting.

Vazquez-Ramos would also often be tardy to class, sending a message to his teachers that education didn't come first.

If Vazquez-Ramos was to become a productive member of the school and community, he would need someone at Parkside to help put him on the right path.  

And in his time of need, one face stood out from the rest.

Michelle Wainwright, a teacher at the school, had known Vazquez-Ramos since he first entered Parkside. Almost immediately, the two formed a bond that would last throughout the next four years.

Wainwright took to Vazquez-Ramos, helping the freshman work through difficult assignments, while always letting him know he had the tools and skills to do whatever he wanted — if he set his mind to it.

“She’s always been there supporting me,” Vazquez-Ramos said. “She made sure I did everything right and stayed focused.”

But it wasn’t just Wainwright that took Vazquez-Ramos under her wing while he was away from home.

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Her husband Ron Wainwright, a history teacher at the school, also formed a relationship with the Salisbury native, having Vazquez-Ramos come work for him in the summers, while often hosting him for dinner.

They could tell Vazquez-Ramos was a good kid who was always polite and kind to others. Having two kids of their own, one who had recently graduated and another who attended the school, the Wainwrights treated the Parkside student like one of their own.

If he ever needed help with school or other challenges, the Wainwrights vowed to be there for him.

“We’re the voices in his head telling him, ‘What would everyone think if I did this,’ ” Michelle Wainwright said. “He has a good heart, cares about people and wants to do well, and that’s huge.”

Over time, Vazquez-Ramos looked at the Wainwrights as another set of parents, referring to them as family members rather than two teachers.

But they weren’t the only Parkside teachers who guided Vazquez-Ramos.

Becoming part of the Ram Fam

The Wainwrights helped Vazquez-Ramos transform from a student who wasn’t serious about school to someone who participated in class, arrived on time and always made sure his work was completed in a timely manner.

As his performance in the classroom improved, so did his impact in both football and wrestling.

Vazquez-Ramos had briefly participated in track and lacrosse, but eventually turned his focus to the two sports where size would be his biggest asset. As a defensive tackle on the gridiron and 285-pound wrestler on the mat, the student-athlete had become a force to be reckoned with throughout the Bayside Conference.

Like the Wainwrights, Cashman and Rams football coach Brendan Riley had also become influential figures in Vazquez-Ramos’ life.

In the fall, Riley would help Vazquez-Ramos work on his football skills, while Cashman worked with his wrestling abilities in the winter.

With the Rams athlete excelling at multiple sports, Riley and Cashman were determined to help Vazquez-Ramos become the best student-athlete possible.

“The thing we want to be about more than anything is the quality effort into intentional decisions in regard to what’s best for our kids — that’s it,” Riley said. “That’s why we say the word ‘Ram Fam’  ... Some people get it, some people don’t, but I think when they get it, it ends up working. In Jose’s case, it’s been working.”

But Riley’s methods went far beyond the football field.

While the “Ram Fam way” has been working for Vazquez-Ramos from an athletic standpoint, it’s also been helping him make an impact in the hallways.

Less than four years after being the kid who didn’t want to try in class, Vazquez-Ramos has become a role model for younger students, helping them with their studies and being there if they ever need a helping hand.

“He’s passing it down,” Ron Wainwright said. “A lot of kids look up to him in the school. He floats among all groups. There is no group for him. Every kid in the school, they’ll walk by him and say, ‘Hey Jose,’ because they want him to acknowledge them. I think that says a lot of his character.”

Still undecided what he’ll do after high school, Vazquez-Ramos is pondering a career in college football or joining the military police. One thing that remains certain is his dedication to his peers.

Knowing how much the four teachers at Parkside helped shape his path, he understands how important it is for him to set a good example and serve as a role model.

When he walks across the graduation stage in the spring, Vazquez-Ramos hopes he’s inspired several students — much like how Riley, Cashman and the Wainwrights inspired him.

“I think I left a good mark,” Vazquez-Ramos said. “I’m a big influence on people, and people look up to me, and I’m always going to be there to help them out if they need.”

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