MidValleySports.Com

By George Hernandez

[El Monte] – I sat down with Mountain View baseball big man Ryan “The Lion” Molinar. Molinar is a two- time Mission Valley League all league second teamer. As a senior he is batting .341 with a homerun and 15 RBIs. He also has a 6-1 record on the mound with a 1.58 ERA. Ryan’s story is a lot bigger than baseball. In 2020 he fought a battle with leukemia and won.

Q: What’s up kid, how’s it going?

A: Everything is going good.

Q: Can you tell us how you got your name “The Lion”?

A: Back when I was in elementary school, I used to box at the South El Monte Community Center, and that’s when my family started calling me Ryan The Lion, but the first person to call me that was my grandpa.

Q: I got a video of you hitting your first high school homerun last week. How did that feel after everything you have overcome?

A: It felt amazing hitting that home run, especially after everything I’ve overcome. It makes me feel so grateful that I’m still able to do what I love after everything that’s happened in the past. I’m also so thankful for all the support my family and friends have given me. They made all the chemotherapy so much easier and I will never forget the love they gave me during that point of time.

Q: What has been your favorite win and toughest loss on the field?

A: My personal favorite win was our semifinal win in CIF. It stands out to me because we were at a big disadvantage. We had a four-hour trip and were playing in weather conditions we weren’t used to. But thanks to a total team effort we figured it out and left with the win. My toughest loss has to be the CIF finals. Me and my teammates worked so hard to get there, but we ended up falling short. It was such a heartbreaking moment but hopefully this season we can come back and get the win.

Q: Is there anyone you model your game after?

A: I really model my game after my dad because he’s always giving me tips on how to improve. He tells me stories all the time about how he and my grandpa used to play back in the day, and I try my best to make them proud every time I step on the field

Q: How would your coaches and teammates describe you?

A: I think my teammates and coaches would describe me as someone they can depend on, and someone who won’t give up on the team.

Q: What is something you want to be remembered by?

A: I want to be remembered as someone who was always there for their team, no matter what and someone who brought light to the dark, no matter the circumstances.

Q: Who are some of your favorite teams and players?

A: My favorite team is the Dodgers for sure, but some of my favorite players are Cody Bellinger, Shohei Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman because I like the way they think and play the game.

Q: Graduation is just a few months away. What are you plans after you graduate and do you plan to keep playing baseball?

A: If I get the chance to play after high school I definitely will but if not I plan to study criminal justice and become a cop or a detective.

Q: Is there anything you want to say or just let people know?

A: I want people to know that if it wasn’t for my family, friends and teammates I don’t think I’d be where I am today. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without them and I’m forever grateful. But most of all I’m especially thankful for my parents and my siblings.

Keep being great kid!