It was an all or nothing type of approach for Tristan Roure as he went into his senior year competing for Scotts Valley High.
When it came down to it, the Falcons’ standout athlete really went for it all when he decided to play football for the first time in his life.
Roure knew there was a possibility of jeopardizing his final basketball season wearing the school colors of maroon and gold, yet he still decided to take on the new challenge.
“It was definitely a little scary at first, but I loved it as soon as I started getting the feel of it,” he said. “I kind of regret not playing more in high school.”
Roure—who played both receiver and defensive back—also knew he wasn’t going to continue in college, so he thought why not give it a try. Plus he was already playing pickup games at the beach with his friends who encouraged him to try out.
He got through the football season without major injuries, allowing him to continue to grind it out at the highest level of play in basketball.
“Tristan’s just a natural athlete,” said Scotts Valley football coach and athletic director Louie Walters. “He’s got size, he’s got quickness and he’s got an IQ for sports, that’s for sure.”
Roure accomplished a lot on the field and hardwood court this year, but he also owned a 4.0 GPA in the classroom and he was what coaches refer to as an all-around team player.
Those were just some of the key factors on why Roure was named the Press Banner’s Boys Athlete of the Year for the 2022-23 school year.
“I appreciate what everyone did for me because this year I got pushed to play football,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to play football but I always thought I was too small.”
Walters was one those who pushed Roure during his junior year to play. Roure admitted he was scared of getting injured prior to basketball, especially because that was his favorite sport to play.
“We were really fortunate that he played football because he was a big part of our team this year,” Walters said.
The Falcons finished with a 7-3 overall record and tied for third in the Pacific Coast Athletic League Mission Division with a 3-3 record in league play.
Roure was glad he took the chance to play a new sport because now he reminisces about being on the football field with his teammates.
“Literally last night I was thinking about it and the memories I already made because of the team and the whole energy of all that,” he said.
Scotts Valley defensive backs coach Reggie Stephens—a former NFL player and Santa Cruz High alumni—took notice of Roure’s skill set on the field, which led to more playing time for him.
“If I wasn’t going to play, I don’t think I would’ve stayed on the team,” Roure said. “But since I was playing both ways, it definitely kept me to keep trying and keep pushing me to go all out for football.”
Roure mentioned it was difficult trying to juggle class and sports throughout the entire school year. He took a sports medical class at Soquel High on Wednesday and Friday that forced him to be up to 40 minutes late for football practice, yet he’d still show up ready to go.
Walters was fine with it because education always comes first to him.
“It was a little challenging to balance but I would do it again because of how much fun I had in all three sports,” Roure said.
Roure mentioned he’s been competitive his entire life after his dad Nicolas—who played soccer as a youngster—signed him up for just about any sport starting with soccer.
“I immediately hated it,” Roure said. “I can’t do anything with my feet, that’s the worst thing I could do.”
Instead, baseball was his first love. Roure went on to play at Live Oak Little League where he won the District 39 Minors Division championship.
Since then he’s always had the drive to win and be competitive.
“Tristan’s one of those kids he doesn’t want to lose in tiddlywinks,” Walters said.
Roure was also on Scotts Valley’s baseball team but an extended season with the boys’ basketball team prevented him from fully participating this season.
The basketball team took third in the Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League standings after going 5-5 in league play in 2022-23.
Roure helped them make a deep run in the Central Coast Section Division IV playoffs as the No. 11 seed, which included upset wins against Stevenson School and Menlo School.
Their season came to a close following a 66-62 loss to Half Moon Bay High in the semifinals. Roure said the loss might’ve stung at the time, yet it was a memorable moment that he will always take with him.
“We knew all of these games could be our last games, so we fought every single game,” he said. “We got to play the toughest teams in the bracket and we still were able to move past them all the way to the semis.”
Roure will attend San Diego State to focus on his degree in kinesiology and plans to continue playing basketball on the recreational side. He believes playing at the next level requires a huge commitment and instead wants to focus on his studies.
“As long as he stays busy and like I said, he’s a good student and he’s a good teammate,” Walters said. “That’s a huge thing.”
