SEFFNER, Fla. — Luis Aponte will tell you stretching is an important part of being an athlete. 

It's especially important before running, which is something that comes naturally to Luis. It’s a sport that the Armwood High alum excels at in the Special Olympics.

“To maintain my power, to continue to improve my strength, to stretch and nobody can catch me in the 400,” Luis said. “And I just try to get to the finish line and have good sportsmanship.”

The Special Olympics have helped Luis find his inner athlete. At the recent state games, he brought home the gold in the 400 meters and the long jump.

It took a lot of hard work to climb to the top of the podium twice. Just like his favorite football team, the Armwood High School Hawks, Luis trains and practices to get better.

He says a lot of his inspiration comes from the Hawks, but Armwood football coach Evan Davis says his players get so much more from their relationship with Luis than just winning.

Davis said you can’t start an Armwood football game without Luis — he leads the Hawks onto the field before every game. 

“He runs out there 100 miles per hour,” Davis said. “I mean, I can tell what kind of game we’re going to have.”

After he runs out, he’s a fixture on the sideline, pumping up his teammates and the crowd.

“He gets everyone going after every touchdown,” Davis said. “He runs down with it, gets this big screaming at the end. It’s huge. And he does the push-ups with the cheerleaders. He’s definitely become a part of Armwood football and the Armwood community.”

Armwood football wouldn’t be Armwood football without Luis, Davis said, adding that he is an integral part of that winning program.

Their bond is teaching others how to be winners, how to accept someone who differs from themselves, but someone whose love of sports and infectious personality permeates the entire program, Davis said.

“He has become so much of us,” he said. “He fits in with everybody. He’s accepted. He is a staple of who we are at Armwood High School now. He’s become from a young man to a man but still a part of what we do. It’s so cool.”