Victor Sanchez Hernandez is a name that might be familiar to University of Washington (UW) Husky football fans.
Sanchez Hernandez graduated early from Kamiak High School in Mukilteo, about 20 miles north of Seattle. He is a member of Washington’s 2025 recruiting class and plans to enroll at UW in time for the spring quarter.
He is also a highly accomplished taekwondo athlete who has been ranked as high as number one in the world.
While football and taekwondo are what most people know him for, Sanchez Hernandez is highly motivated by his pride in his Mexican heritage.
“I think it’s a very big honor to be able to be a first-gen Mexican,” he said, “My parents came here to the U.S. for me to have a better future. I’ve been grateful to visit my country, meet the people, explore the culture, and have a deeper understanding. For me to be able to take that opportunity and run with it, that just means a lot to me.”
Sanchez Hernandez credits his parents for raising him with a high work ethic, teaching him to value relationships, to always be a leader, and to leave a positive impact on those around him.
He wants to set an example for his siblings and take advantage of every opportunity that his parents’ sacrifices have given him.
“I want to become the best son I can to my parents,” Sanchez Hernandez said. “I want to become the best student I can be to all my teachers. I’ve always thought about how I could make an impact. Football is going to be gone one day. I knew taekwondo was going to be gone one day. It’s just, how can I leave a meaningful impact to people in my community?”
One example of how Sanchez Hernandez made an impact is by volunteering to help some of his Spanish-speaking classmates with their math homework.
Oftentimes, the problems were not printed in English, and he saw an opportunity to step up and be a leader.
“I went beyond just being an athlete and really emphasized being a student-athlete,” Sanchez Hernandez said, “I always think about the bigger picture. Maybe they’re limited from chasing their dreams and goals just because there is a language barrier. I think a lot about the youth. It was something that I was very passionate about.”
Victor Sanchez Hernandez with his loved ones on signing day.
Sanchez Hernandez has also excelled as a student.
He took 11 Advanced Placement classes throughout his high school career and graduated with a 3.95 GPA. Prior to emerging as a football star, he planned to pursue an academic scholarship to pay for college.
He managed a daily schedule of school, tutoring his classmates, football practice, taekwondo, and completing AP homework at night.
“I just felt really motivated to continue to work hard because my parents worked their butt off,” Sanchez Hernandez said. “I felt like that was a way I could repay them to show them how much I appreciate the opportunity that I have.”
Denise Bathurst worked closely with Sanchez Hernandez for two years as his academic counselor at Kamiak High School.
According to Bathurst, he has earned the nickname “The Unicorn” because of his work ethic in the classroom and on the football field.
“At the core of who he is, he’s an academic kid,” Bathurst said. “He’s taken all he’s ever learned in taekwondo, and now football, and he puts it in the classroom.”
Listen to Denise Bathurst describe Sanchez Hernandez’s character
Sanchez Hernandez’s leadership and work ethic also showed on the football field.
He transferred to Kamiak from Lynwood High before his junior year.
Despite the team winning just one game during his junior season, Sanchez Hernandez helped lead the team to a five-win improvement in his senior season. Ivan McLennan, his head football coach at Kamiak, called him a culture starter.
“I think Victor falls in that line of game changers,” McLennan said, “I know he inspires me. I know he inspires all his teammates. I know he inspires people around his campus. And more importantly I know he’s inspiring his siblings to reach new heights as well. It has been an absolute honor and a pleasure to coach Victor.”
Sanchez Hernandez is preparing to enroll as a freshman at the University of Washington and will play defensive end for the Huskies. He is hoping to make an immediate impact on the field.
“With my work ethic and the way I’ve been training, both mentally and physically, I’m really hoping I’m able to play as a freshman.’ Sanchez Hernandez said.
The Huskies will open their season on Aug. 30 against Colorado State.
Anthony Smith is a senior in the Journalism and Public Interest Communication major at the University of Washington. He hopes to pursue a career in sports media, specializing in covering the “why” behind what motivates athletes and their pursuits of greatness.