2019 Albuquerque High Schools Football Yearbook 15
“To me the appeal of football is the
competition. Every down is a new competition
and your job is to win that competition for
your teammates. I like that kind of challenge,”
says Alvarado. “If you don’t maintain that
approach it shows on the field, and you get
burned. I have a competitive spirit and I plan
to bring it on every play.”
For all that banging around on the football
field when you talk to Keith you talk to a
smart, friendly sort of person. Not your
stereotypical lineman, let’s just leave it at
that...until game time.
“Sometimes when I go back and watch
a game on film I think to myself, was I that
young guy,” he says with a smile. “But when
the helmet goes on you have to become a
competitor. In a game situation football
is the perfect outlet for your aggression
and sometimes it gets a little chippy, I’ll
be honest. But that just comes from me
wanting to win.”
Born in Albuquerque, Alvarado has
an older sister and when he’s got some
down time he likes to go fishing or
maybe watch movies, with Friday
Night Lights his all-time favorite.
Keith holds down a solid 3.6 GPA and
is an active community volunteer,
serving meals at homeless shelters
and also spending time playing
cards with patients at a local
hospital’s Alzheimers unit.
When it comes to his college
future Alvarado has a dream
school—Notre Dame, all the
way—with a growing list of
other options, including the
University of New Mexico. “I
am grateful for the offers I
have received but don’t feel like I will make
a final decision until sometime later this
year. I am also a huge (University of New
Mexico) Lobos fan, but we will have to see
how it all plays out,” he reports. Once in
college, Alvarado plans to study exercise
science with the idea of becoming a trainer
for either a high school or small college
athletic program.
As for the 2019 season Alvarado is excited
about his team’s prospects, even with some
changes in store, including a new offensive
coordinator. And frankly, much of what is
going to get done by the Bears this season
will revolve around its defense, where
Alvarado and classmate Joey Burke are
returning all-staters in the line.
“Even with the
changes we still plan
to be a power football
team on both sides
of the ball,” he says.
“Even with a different
offensive philosophy
we start by wanting
to dominate the line of
scrimmage. Do that and
the rest falls in place.”