Football: Lakes' Ruiz rewarded for his striving nature

It's not a stretch to say the kid who stretches like few others has already reached his goal.

Mind you, senior year hasn't even started yet for Lakes' human bungee cord.

“I just want to be remembered,” Cameron Ruiz said when asked about his goals for the football season. “I think everybody just wants to be remembered. I think stats and breaking records are a big deal, but (in the future) if the coaches and players say, ‘Do you guys remember Cameron Ruiz?' And they say, ‘Most definitely,' that would mean a lot to me.”

Like what Lakes coach or athlete is going to forget the kid who won two state championships in track and field as a junior? Who punctuated his triple-jump title with a pair of back flips? Who landed those acrobatic maneuvers softer than Simone Biles? Who, during football season last year, ran straight at a defender inside the 10-yard line, stopped and leapfrogged him?

Who's going to forget about the guy who accepted a football scholarship from Northwestern? How is anyone going to forget about a kid who values education so much that he didn't think twice when NU offered?

“April 11,” Ruiz said of the exact date that he gave Northwestern a verbal commitment.

How — why — does he remember the exact date?

“Because I was No. 11 (in football),” the running back/defensive back said.

Ruiz boasts some good numbers. As part of his four-medal day at state last May, he sailed 50 feet, 6 inches and 24 feet in winning the Class 3A triple jump and long jump, respectively. He also clocked 48.89 seconds in the 400-meter dash (sixth) in addition to helping Lakes' 1,600 relay place eighth.

Thing is, Northwestern doesn't have men's track.

Thing is, it doesn't matter.

“The goal, since I was 7 or 8, was always to play college football,” Ruiz said.

Getting a quality education has always been a part of the game plan, too.

Ruiz's parents are both educated. His dad, Joseph, studied biology and ran track at Loyola. His mom, Melanie, boasts a degree from Cornell.

So when Northwestern wanted to meet with Ruiz and his family last spring, the kid with the 3.5 GPA didn't have to overthink things.

“Before I went on my visit, my parents and I talked,” Ruiz said. “We were like, ‘What if they do offer me? What should I do?' My mom went to an Ivy League school. She's like, ‘I think academics is very important because you don't know how long you'll have (sports).' I took that into consideration. Obviously my dad agreed. My dad is a track guy. He loves it. But he knows that I have a passion for football. If I didn't want to go the route for track, that was OK.”

Ruiz added that accepting Northwestern's offer was a “no-brainer” for his whole family. The Wildcats recruited him as a defensive back.

“Northwestern was shocked that they got him that easily,” Lakes football coach Luke Mertens said. “He comes from a family that values education. His ego didn't need to be stroked by more schools offering him a scholarship.”

So, it was one (offer) and done. Ruiz plans to sign with NU in February.

“I didn't have to think about any more (potential offers),” Ruiz said. “Northwestern is obviously a great football team and they're on the rise to win the Big Ten championship. Our incoming class (next year) is going to be something special. I'm happy I'm a part of it.”

Moved up to varsity for the playoffs as a freshman, Ruiz (5-11, 165) has been a starter since his sophomore year. His all-conference 2015 campaign included 510 rushing yards and 8 touchdowns, as Lakes won the North Suburban Prairie title and earned a playoff berth.

“He has an intangible that you can't teach, and that's this combination of speed and explosiveness,” Mertens said. “It's unreal. ... He's not a very thick kid. But he plays so much larger than his 165-pound weight. He likes being physical. And he's a competitor. Between football and track, he's used to being on the big stage.”

Ruiz is motivated.

So how about leapfrogging a defender again, Cameron?

“You might see more this year,” he said with a laugh.

It'll be another slick move to remember.

jaguilar@dailyherald.com

• Follow Joe on Twitter: @JoeAguilar64