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From the day he first picked up a baseball through his athletic career at the youth, high school and Division I levels, family was the one constant presence in Alejandro Lara's life.
 
"Growing up, I played a little bit of basketball, but I was mainly a soccer and baseball player. I fell in love with the sport and played it with my brothers."
 
Lara added, "When I played baseball, I was drawn to the challenge. Soccer is more of a team-oriented sport, you can make mistakes and it is easy to recover. With baseball, if you are 0-for-4, you are the one who has to face that challenge."
 
Guiding him through those on-field challenges were his two brothers and a father who enjoyed every teachable moment that took place on the diamond — opportunities that started in Little League when everyone participated on the same team, and continued when Alejandro attended Vanden High School.
 
"When I played Little League baseball," said the Fairfield native, "it meant the world to me to play the sport alongside my older brother and have my father coach the team. It seemed fun because I was doing really well, but my family played a big role in how much I enjoyed that experience.
 
"My older brother, Lorenzo, played first base, I played shortstop or second base and my younger brother, Andres, usually caught or pitched. The opportunity to coach his sons meant the world to my dad because we worked at the game growing up and he was there to help. He would take us to the park, organize batting practice and hit ground balls to all three of us," Lara said.
 
"Even though I played soccer and a little bit of football in high school, baseball was always my first love growing up."
 
In addition to sharpening his skills through countless spent practicing at the local diamond, his older brother also shaped Alejandro's competitive fire and work ethic.

"I clearly remember a game during my sophomore year of high school, and I was playing around with the idea of hitting from the other side of the plate. He was not having it, and told me, 'You need to hit as a right-hander and we need to win this game.'"

 
 
It was Lara's grandparents who immigrated from Mexico to America; the family first resided in the Bay Area before moving to Fairfield — a place Alejandro has called home for his entire life and the setting for some of Lara's fondest memories growing up. Those experiences usually involved one of three elements that provided the setting for a lengthy list of indelible moments: birthdays, holidays and sports.
 
"Family birthdays were definitely large gatherings and provided an opportunity for everyone to reconnect. I can remember the home-cooked meals and delicious food that was brought to my birthdays. The food was delicious!
 
"Holidays, especially Easter, were events that I remember always having great time. I enjoyed catching up with my grandparents and cousins, everyone was full of energy and these celebrations were always filled with love."
 
It was that same amount of energy, displayed by members of his family, that carried over to the diamond and provided Lara with a support system that fueled his success as a baseball player.
 
"Spending time with my grandparents, especially my dad's father since he was loud and rowdy whenever he attended my baseball games, is something that stands out in my mind," Lara said. "I appreciated the love and support because he was always passionate about his family and baseball, which strengthened my love for the game."
 
While baseball dominated the Lara household throughout the winter, spring and summer months, it was another sport that provided his family with a weekly opportunity to relax, catch up with one another and end the weekend on a positive note, regardless of the final score.
 
"Watching football every Sunday and rooting for the Oakland Raiders was something I always looked forward to. Even though they lost a lot of games throughout my life, everyone was a true fan."
 
Added Lara, "Living in close proximity to one another definitely led to memorable family events."
 

 
As is the case with iron sharpening iron, Lara, and his two brothers constantly challenged one another to help everyone reach their individual potential, both in the classroom and on the field. By continuing his baseball career at the fifth-ranked public university in the country, Alejandro's decision also provided countless opportunities for his tight-knit family to enjoy and enhance his student-athlete experience.
 
As convenient as it was to make the short drive to UC Davis — numerous members of his immediate and extended family live throughout the region — one Lara in particular helped him enjoy a smooth transition from high school to college.
 
"My older brother also attended UC Davis and recently graduated with a chemical engineering degree. I cannot even tell you how much it meant to attend the same university together, especially since we were roommates my sophomore year.
 
"It makes me happy to watch him grow as a person throughout the last four years because I always looked up to him as a role model. It is exciting, but daunting, to know that he may move out of the area for work in the near future.
 
Lara added, "Whether we were in the backyard as kids or at a UC Davis game, Lorenzo's support meant the world to me."
 
Now that Alejandro is busy preparing for the upcoming season, the Lara family has one final year filled with opportunities (fingers crossed) to visit Phil Swimley Field on a regular basis before he graduates in the spring.
 
"I know playing baseball at UC Davis means the world to my mom and dad," said Lara. "This has been a great experience for me.
 
"Everyone was excited for the 2020 season, especially the way we played since the team enjoyed a hot start before COVID shut everything down. I am excited to return for my fifth year in the program and think we can surprise some people this year."
 


 
 
ABOUT UC DAVIS
With the addition of equestrian and women's beach volleyball in 2018, more than 700 student-athletes represent the fifth-ranked public school in the nation on one of 25 intercollegiate athletics teams.
 
UC Davis, a national leader in Title IX gender equity and leadership, is centrally located between San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and the Napa Valley; and offers an unrivaled student-athlete experience that features the ideal combination of elite academics, Division I athletics and personal growth.
 
Ranked annually in the top 10 in diversity and students' social mobility, UC Davis is uncommonly committed to preparing student-athletes for life after graduation with Aggie EVO — an innovative student-athlete outcomes program that helps young women and men develop passions, gain real-world experience, and enjoy a successful launch to full-time employment or graduate school. Through Aggie EVO, Intercollegiate Athletics provides unmatched resources and a vast network of working professionals to ensure post-graduation success for its student-athletes.