Channel 5 Sports has covered Cowboys Camp in California for the past week. As our coverage wraps up, Channel 5 Sports wants to introduce you to someone with 956 ties.

PSJA North alum Sammy Lopez has been a fan of the Dallas Cowboys his entire life.

"I applied to UT Arlington specifically for one reason: I wanted to get as close to the Cowboys as I could,” Lopez said.

After wrapping up his graduate degree at UTA, Lopez now works for the Dallas Cowboys, being a jack-of-all-trades on the athletic training staff.

“We do a lot of treatments, a lot of rehabs,” Lopez said. “We work with strength and conditioning coaches making sure our athletes are getting proper care, proper workouts, successfully get them back on the playing field. A lot of recovery.”

Lopez said he got the itch to become an athletic trainer after spending a lot of time in the training room himself in high school and learning from PSJA ISD Athletic Trainer Jeff Darr.

"I had a few injuries; low back, a couple sprained ankles,” Lopez said. “So I really got to get to know him and just understanding the true importance an athletic trainer played.”

Lopez is in his second training camp with the Cowboys, but before even applying to the Cowboys, he got NFL experience elsewhere.

"[I] did a summer with the Raiders and then applied for a summer internship with the Cowboys,” Lopez said. “I didn’t apply to the Cowboys initially because I wanted to go out and get experience first before I went out for my team, I guess you could say."

Lopez is now working for his favorite team and he said working with pro-athletes can be a challenge but he has a secret.

"You just got to be creative with your rehabs,” Lopez said. “And you got to make it fun."

Lopez is part of a fraternity of pro-athletic trainers with Valley ties; Joe Resendez is now with the NBA with the Sacramento Kings; Mike Mancias is Lebron James’ personal trainer. Both are from Brownsville.

"We have the skill,” Lopez said. “You just got to put your heart into it and your mindset into it and who knows how far you can get."

Lopez has a message for his Valley gente.

“It's possible,” Lopez said. “Just set your mind to it, work hard and never give up.”

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