Ricky Trujillo, football coach and business marketing finance teacher, said he’s been impressed by Prosper High, believing that the kids, staff and overall environment make working at the high school an “incredible” experience.
“I don’t even know if people realize, the kids realize, how great they got it here,” Trujillo said. “And, what makes Prosper special is the people–is the kids, and the staff, and the community – that we get to serve here.”
Before settling in Prosper, Trujillo grew up moving around the country with his father in the Navy. He attended Butler University where he was a football player, and he later coached at a school in Fishers, Indiana.
“My dad was in the Navy, so I lived in Florida, California, Virginia, and then went to high school in DFW,” Trujillo said. “I graduated from Denton Ryan, and then, I went to school and played football at Butler University in Indianapolis.”
Trujillo prioritizes his learning and has taught several topics to himself. He said he believes that he was an independent individual throughout his upbringing.
“You know, I’m kind of super-avid about my learning,” Trujillo said. “I’m a ferocious learner. I feel like I’ve self-taught myself a lot of things, and so I’m always looking for people that are really good or the best in that particular area, trying to learn from them and grow from them.”
When it comes to coaching and teaching, confidence and showing love are some of Trujillo’s largest priorities.
“I like just showing love to people, the kids,” Trujillo said. “And, also, I’m real big on building people’s confidence and belief and stuff like that. I think that’s super important. I think if people can believe in himself, and you’re confident, that just like opens the world up to him.”
He said in order to be a teacher or coach, you must be in it for the correct reasons.
“I think if you don’t love kids and love people, it’s a bad profession for you,” Trujillo said. “But if you if you love kids, and you love people, and you like helping people and serving, then, it’s great because your bucket’s been filled and, you know, you have a purpose there.”
Originally, Trujillo wanted to enter the medical field or coach for his profession, but in high school, he had a coach that stood out to him that made him choose his new, and current, career route.
“In high school, I kind of felt like I wanted to be in the medical field or be a coach and teacher,” Trujillo said. “But, the summer before my senior year in high school, we were doing some workouts, and one of the coaches, he really stuck out to me. His name is Eric Lokey. And I’m just like, man, you know, he’s just such a positive influence on people.”
Along with the influence of his coach, Trujillo said he’s been greatly impacted by his friends in high school and college.
“I had some really good friends in high school, in college that just kind of helped me grow in character and work ethic and things,” Trujillo said. “So those people really influenced me and helped me.”
Trujillo also said his wife, Principal Paige Trujillo, has a large significance in his life and career.
“And then, you know, my wife right now, when you’ve been married for as long as we have been, 10 years now that we’ve been together, you know, they end up being like a big impact for you,” Trujillo said. “And, she’s helped me grow a ton in the past 10 years.”
One effect Trujillo wants to create at PHS is to help people learn life lessons so that they don’t have to learn from their own mistakes.
“And so whenever, like, specifically in my classes, if I can teach you guys things that can really help you, and you don’t have to learn, you know, quote unquote, the hard way or, by your own mistakes,” Trujillo said. “Yeah. That’s something I try to think of.”
Trujillo said he is thankful for what he believes is an exclusive opportunity that not many people get to experience.
“Obviously, people know you’re not going to get rich teaching,” Trujillo said. “But, like I said, if you can wake up every day and enjoy what you’re doing, that’s a win.”
This article was edited by Emily Logan, Trisha Panicker and Kate Duncan.
