Ruben on the Road: Hereford native shares journey on winning flag football gold medal

HEREFORD, Texas (KFDA) - Ruben heads to Hereford where he meets up with a former football stand out who is honored with the key to the city and shares his journey on winning a flag football gold medal.

"I came to Hereford to get a day of recognition. They gave me a key to the city and they honored me in front of a couple of people I know," said Ja'Deion High, gold medalist for the U.S. Men's Flag Football Team.

High says the love is always appreciated. He states he doesn't express it much because he doesn't talk a lot, but he makes sure to tell people he appreciates their love.

"I appreciate all the support, no matter what. That's always felt. I hear it all the time. I hear it from everybody," said High. "If you don't think that I hear about you or your congratulations, whatever, I always hear it."

"Well, you know, Ja'Deion's special and he's someone who came all the way up through the program here and just did a tremendous job and then advocated for himself," said Don Delozier, former head coach of the Hereford Whitefaces.

Delozier says all the things he did and worked for were all because of his work ethic and talent.

"And he's somebody we're really, really proud of," said Delozier.

High says the small town pride is really where it's at.

"I mean, you come from a small town, your back's already against the wall, odds are against you, you have nobody looking," said High.

High stays that you have to make people watch. You need to do something to make people watch and hard work is really what gets their attention.

"And as long as you stay persistent and working, stay confident in yourself and by all means, pray, talk to God, whatever you got to do, he'll get you there and you'll get yourself there, but it's really just the hard work," said High.

Delozier says High had a mother and father who supported him endlessly and still do to this day.

"They're somebody who love him greatly and that showed while they were raising him," said Delozier.

Delozier describes High as a player who played extremely hard all the time, regardless of what you asked him to do.

High says being recognized meant a lot.

"Honestly, I didn't know that this many people were going to show up. I thought it was just going to be a small event. But it did mean a lot, especially in Hereford," said High.

High says he plans on coming back to Hereford a lot more.

"I've been around a couple football games, places, you know, nothing crazy, but I'd be sure to talk to people here now and then to keep in touch," said High.

High says it means a lot. He's going to carry West Texas around with him wherever he goes.