Spotlight Athlete: JP Zepeda #40

SPORTS: Football, Wrestling, Track & Powerlifting

Tell us your story. What life experiences have impacted your journey? What motivates you? What is your “why"?

One of the biggest experiences that shaped me was losing my starting spot on varsity. At the time, it was humbling and honestly frustrating. But it forced me to look in the mirror and decide who I wanted to be. I learned that being a great athlete isn’t about being flashy—it’s about discipline, toughness, and the willingness to work when things don’t go your way.

Football taught me that it’s more than just a game. It’s a place where I’ve learned accountability, leadership, and how to push through adversity. Those lessons carry over into every area of my life—my faith, my family, and how I treat people. I’m motivated by the desire to be the best version of myself, to honor God with how I compete, and to lead others both on and off the field. My ‘why’ is becoming someone who doesn’t quit when things get hard and helps raise the standard for the people around me.

What role does your faith play in your life and in your sports career?

Faith holds the highest place in my life. Without my faith, discipline is nothing. God has helped shape me to become the leader that I am today. Every chance I get to touch the field, speak with a coach, and encourage my team is given to me by him. He is the cornerstone of my life and he holds all of my pride and glory. All Glory To God.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse? If so, which one and why?

Phillippians 1:21 "For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" This verse hold importance because to me God is everything. He is the reason I do everything, I work hard so that I can show my light to others.

What accomplishment are you most proud of personally and athletically (name one of each)?

Athletically my greatest accomplishment is my ability to aid my team where I can. I play multiple positions on the field, ready to fill a gap whenever needed. Also many people would consider me a leader, not always by what I say but more by example, I have many people that look up to me so doing the right thing provides the best influence to the people around me. Personally my greatest achievement is my leadership in church, I help out my pastors almost every week. I help lead in small group settings, whenever there a big events at church and of course I like inviting my friends too. Helping out in church has showed me how big of a role God plays in my life and that if you want to lead you have to serve. Jesus came to serve not to be served. Leaders serve.

What do you feel sets you apart from your competition and what skills do you currently possess that are your biggest assets?

What sets me apart is my physical strength combined with relentlessness. Strength alone isn’t enough—anyone can be matched physically—but I take pride in playing with consistent effort and intensity every snap. I don’t take plays off, and over the course of a game that wears people down.

Another asset is my conditioning and mental endurance. When others start to slow down, I’m still attacking, still communicating, still locked in. I also bring energy and leadership. I’m a vocal encourager, and my intensity is contagious—when I bring it, my teammates respond. That unity raises our level of play and creates momentum that impacts both our sideline and our opponent.

What skills are you most focused on improving?

The skills that I need to focus on the most are my off the line speed which I am currently working on with a trainer. My body controls is also a big one, wrestling and track are both sports I do that help with this. How much I lift also is something that will always be working on, powerlifting will make sure I have consistent gains through my offseason. I enjoy being a multi-sport athlete, that way I'm always working, always trying to better myself.

Tell us what a typical day or week is like for you:

A typical day for me is very structured. I start my mornings early with a quiet time with God to get my mind right and set my priorities. After that I’m at school all day, where I focus on staying disciplined and handling my responsibilities in the classroom. After school, I head straight to my lift and train until around 6:00pm. I go home for dinner, then I’m back at it with wrestling practice from about 6:45pm to 8:00pm. When I get home, I eat again, take care of my homework, and make sure I get enough rest so I can do it all again the next day. I try to be intentional with my time because I know consistency is what leads to growth.

What are your plans for the future and what is your number one objective for the next year / season?

My goal is to pursue a degree in mechanical or electrical engineering. I’m drawn to STEM because I enjoy problem-solving, systems, and understanding how things work at a detailed level. I've been that way since a young age. I enjoy building things. This next year, my priority is to keep my grades high while continuing to grow as a varsity athlete.

I understand that engineering and college athletics both demand consistency, time management, and resilience. The discipline I’ve built through football—showing up every day, preparing, and pushing through challenges—directly translates to how I approach academics. I’m committed to putting in the work now, both in the classroom and on the field, to be prepared for the demands of a college engineering program. 

What is the biggest challenge you see in achieving your upcoming goal or where could you use help?

My biggest challenge is balancing out school and football during the season, realistically as with most student athletes, the load of school and workouts can add a pressure that adds up. Pressure is good, but too much pressure and something gives, so I will be balancing out my schedule to make sure I perform great on the field, keep good grades and continue to grow in my faith. One thing that helps with this is simply having good friends. My friends help shape my future too, along with my family and feeling like I can talk to my coaches. Having all of those relationships always helps. One thing my dad always says is "Zepedas never give up." Generic as it sounds, I live by it. That saying tells me that I always have more in me to give.

What words of advice do you have for younger athletes that are up and coming?

It is not about doing everything right, it is about how you do it. Chasing perfection is unattainable. When I hit a wall, I spoke with my coaches so they knew how I felt about how I was performing. Then I worked on improving in practice, being open to feedback, I put it before God, and really asked myself to be honest with myself about my effort. Playing sports is also mental, you got talk it out before you step on the field.

Who was your favorite player growing up or who's style of play do you most admire?

I admire T.J. Watt the most. He is the most relentless player I have seen, he has a great work ethic and it definitely translates to the field whenever he knocks someone out. Has great athleticism and endurance. His style is unique and I haven't seen anyone else play like him.

What one question would you have for your favorite athlete if they were sitting here now?

If I had to ask him one question it would be that after his recent injury: "What made you push yourself to not give up and what drives you to dominate on the field?"

Is there anything else you would like to share with the community?

"Consistency beats talent every time." How? through discipline, doing the hard things and showing up daily. All of the things I've accomplished would have been impossible without God helping me through every practice, conversation, and game.