Cesar Barajas found himself in Stockton after being cut twice from another college.
“I had been playing for 18 years, how can this coach think I’m not good enough?” he said, “It was my first time getting cut from any team in my life so it was a reality check … imagine getting cut two times by the same coach. He cut me twice and said ‘I like your effort but it’s just not going to work out.’”
Barajas immediately contacted Delta College Head Coach Josh Bradley who told him to try-out for the Mustangs.
“At this point I didn’t even know anyone [in Stockton] so it was a complete shot in the dark. I had never been to Stockton, I didn’t know any streets here, I didn’t know any people. I came with the mentality that I have to make this team, there is no other option,” he said firmly.
“That was one of my defining moments, where I was most hungry. Absolutely nothing will get in the way of me making this team, that was the maximum effort I had given in anything in my life, it was kind of surreal to see.”
Barajas’ life has always revolved around soccer. His cousin used to have a YouTube channel where he would film Barajas being lively, which influenced him to create his own channel.
“I have cousins in LA with YouTube channels, one has like 30 thousand subscribers,” he said.
“[My cousin told me] how fun it is to record your experiences doing what you love, not to get views or to get people to like you, really doing it for yourself,” said Barajas.
On his YouTube channel, Ceeezzy TV, he broadcasts his days as a student athlete.
His extroverted nature is seen instantly in the way he messes around with his teammates and family.
“I was always the funny kid I guess. I was always really extroverted and just liked to have fun,” he said. “I like to be extra confident (not cocky) just because it is fun to do. It’s a part of me, [I have fun] being free flowing and not filtering what I have to say.”
He posts videos of peculiar conversations with family and also has a day-in-the-life series where he shows everyone what he deals with on a daily basis playing soccer for Delta College.
“People see what I go through and it is really interesting for some. People who want to play soccer for a junior college can see what it is like,” said Barajas.
His videos show first-hand the bonds formed when playing sports. In almost every video you find Mustang Soccer players clowning one another.
“[Through soccer] I met people I still connect with to this day…people I met when I was 10 years old and 13 years later we are still friends, the relationships you build through soccer are amazing.”
He attributes the sport to building his character in ways he could never imagine.
Right now the Mustangs are third in the Big Eight Conference at 3-1-2, with an overall record of 10-3-4 heading into the playoffs.
“We are pretty much in the playoffs but we can not just sit back and lose the rest of the games,” said Barajas.
His sophomore season represents all the work he has put in since he first began playing soccer.
“I have been playing since I was three years old, I am 23 now,” he said. “[Sophomore year] is a very critical time, right now is when you either shut up or show out. If you don’t perform colleges aren’t going to want you.”
His focus this year, aside from his main goal of transferring to a four-year college, is to be a leader to his younger teammates.
His philosophy is to take life one day at a time.
“When I wake up I am always focused on the next game, that is the most important thing. Once you look too far ahead you get confused in what the main goal is for the day. If you take things one day at a time, all of your work will add up,” he said.