Alejandro Rivera’s off-field faith, dedication fuels Liverpool HS breakout
After moving from Puerto Rico to central New York, senior Alejandro Rivera has emerged as Liverpool High School's star running back. Courtesy of Ruth Cuadrado
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In 2011, Alejandro Rivera moved from his birthplace of Puerto Rico to the continental United States. At first, his family settled in Allentown, Pennsylvania. But after spending three years in the Keystone State, they relocated again, this time to central New York.
It was a completely new environment for him. Detached from everything he knew, Rivera needed a way to connect with his new peers.
“We’re the only (ones in my) family that live here, so it was tough,” Rivera said. “But me and my parents, we made it work.”
He did that through football. Rivera picked up the sport when he was in Pennsylvania, and it was completely foreign to him at the time. When he first started playing, Rivera said his relative inexperience caused other players to ridicule him. It only fueled him to improve.
His peers can’t ridicule him anymore. After years of hard work, Rivera has blossomed as a senior running back for Liverpool High School, racking up 1,094 yards and 13 touchdowns through 10 games this season. He’s already improved upon his yardage and touchdown totals from last season. Now, he’s looking to lead the 9-1 Legends to a deep playoff run.
It wasn’t an overnight transformation. Rivera’s journey to stardom began in the weight room.
While living in Puerto Rico, Rivera formed a strong bond with his aunt, Veronica Cuadrado. She was a high-level Olympic weightlifter, and Rivera said she would take him to work out with her regularly throughout his childhood.
“She does that for a living, basically,” Rivera said, referring to his aunt’s weightlifting habit.
That hobby followed him to the U.S. After moving to New York, Rivera joined a weightlifting club where he continued developing his strength. In his first year with the club, he traveled to Denver, Colorado, after qualifying for the USA Weightlifting Nationals.
We’re the only (ones in my) family that live here, so it was tough. But me and my parents, we made it work.Alejandro Rivera, Liverpool running back
Through years of work in the gym, Rivera’s additional muscle has translated to the football field. Standing at 5-foot-6, he doesn’t have the most physically imposing frame. But his strength allows him to break tackles and shoot through gaps in the defense.
On one rush against Cicero-North Syracuse, head coach Joe Sindoni said Rivera broke eight tackles and outran its entire defense on the way to the endzone. Another time, Rivera’s father, Alexander Rivera, recalled a rush where Rivera dropped four defenders en route to a touchdown.
His running back coach, Antwaun Johnson, has also pushed Rivera to develop his skills as a rusher. Rivera said his biggest strengths as a running back are his patience and his ability to read blocks and find holes in the defense. His teammates have even compared him to former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell, who was a two-time NFL All-Pro, he added.
But if you ask Sindoni, he won’t say any of those are his best quality. He believes that Rivera’s best quality — on and off the field — is his leadership.
In practice, Rivera applies what the coaches tell him into the very next play. Rivera is one of Liverpool’s captains. Sindoni expects him to maintain a strong team culture and keep his teammates in check, even when the coaches aren’t watching.
“He’s another coach on the field, in addition to being a really good running back,” Sindoni said. “He’s a leader, the kids respect him.”
It’s a trait that — similar to his weightlifting habit — has its roots in his Puerto Rican heritage.
Alexander is a Christian pastor, and he immersed his son in the church throughout his childhood in Puerto Rico. Alexander said that Rivera has developed into a leader in the church, and those qualities have translated to the football field.
“He has a passion for football,” Alexander said. “But he has a passion for God too.”
When Liverpool inevitably concludes its playoff run, Rivera will look to continue his football career at the collegiate level. He hasn’t made a decision on his next destination yet.
But the grind won’t stop for him. Each offseason, Sindoni said that Rivera would never miss a lift. Until he’s accomplished his goals, Rivera will continue to display the same work ethic he’s demonstrated at every step of his football career.
“If I tell him to work on something, I know he’s going to do it,” Sindoni said.
