Bulldog Tradition: The Serrato Family
Jake Serrato blocks out an opponent to attempt to get the rebound.
December 6, 2013
Some current students’ families have been at Tracy High for many generations. One of those families is the Serratos. The Serratos have been at Tracy High since the 1960s. There are currently four Serratos who attend Tracy High School: senior Erika Serrato, junior Michael (Jake) Serrato, sophomore Alyssa Serrato, and freshman Brianna Serrato.
Ericka Serrato is on the yearbook staff. Erika’s cousin Sammy also did yearbook, so Erika is continuing the tradition.
“My dad went here and five brothers did as well,” Erika Serrato said. “My sister goes here, too.”
Erika and Alyssa’s dad, Eddie Serrato, graduated in 1983. He played football when he attended at Tracy High.
Erika thinks it is important for the Serratos to return to Tracy High because it is familiar. Erika’s great grandfather went to Tracy High back in the 1960s and loved the school.
“Being a Serrato gives me a bit little pressure because everybody knows me and I feel really popular because of my last name,” Erika said.
Erika’s sister Alyssa is very involved with the school. Last year, she was in leadership and played freshman basketball, and softball. This year she is on the sophomore basketball team.
Alyssa is following in the footsteps of her two cousins Tammy and Mariah Serrato. Tammy and Mariah both played basketball. Also, Natalie Serrato, a cousin, played softball at Tracy High.
“I think it’s important for our family to come back. It’s a tradition that we play sports and we are known for that,” Alyssa Serrato said. “Our family wants to keep that tradition going.”
In the future, Alyssa will live in Tracy and will definitely send her own kids to Tracy High to keep the tradition going.
“I feel like I live under pressure with the last name Serrato,” Alyssa said. “We have to live up to our grandparents and also have to worry about a grades and sports.”
Alyssa and Erika have cousins who also attend the school. Michael (Jake) and his sister Brianna also go to Tracy High.
Jake Serrato plays football and basketball. Jake has had a lot of family members who played football and basketball at Tracy.
Jake’s dad, Michael Serrato played football and basketball. His uncle Chris played both sports his freshman and sophomore year. Another uncle of Jake’s, Junior, also played both sports.
Most of the males in the Serrato family have played either basketball or football.
Jake’s parents, Michael and Cheryll, met at Tracy High his senior year and her junior year. Michael Serrato graduated in 1988 and Cheryll Beardsley Serrato graduated in 1989.
“Living up to my family puts a lot of pressure on me,” Jake said. “My dad was a really good football player, so it’s like an expectation from me to be just as good as him.”
Jake’s father earned all-league and was a captain. He received an award for being most inspirational. His team was also section champions his junior in 1987.
Jake loves football. It is his favorite sport. He likes the fact that he gets to play a sport that most of his family played. He said he has to play football because he is a Serrato.
He loves being a Serrato, but he doesn’t like that fact everybody knows him. Sometimes his teachers will be taking roll and they’ll say his name and the teacher will say “Man, another Serrato.”
He believes that the Serrato Bulldog tradition has remained for many years because Jake’s great grandfather went here and it reminds the family of their memories.
Jake plans to come back and live in Tracy and send his future kids to Tracy High to keep the family tradition going.
The last current Serrato at Tracy High is Jake’s younger sister Brianna, freshman
So far this year, Brianna has played volleyball and is now playing basketball on the sophomore team.
Brianna is the first one in her family to ever play volleyball for Tracy High. She hopes to start a new trend for future generations to play volleyball for the Serrato family.
However, she also follows her family’s tradition by playing basketball. This year Brianna made the sophomore basketball team. Her mom, Cheryll Beardsley Serrato, played basketball when she attended Tracy High and was a star.
Cheryl won offense and defense awards for basketball. Her senior and junior year she won MVP and co-MVP. She was captain, received an all-area award, and even played in the area all-star game.
“I feel like I have to be really good at basketball because my mom was so good,” Brianna said. “That’s the only pressure I feel for having the last name Serrato.”
She believes that keeping the Bulldog Tradition is special because it is important to have their future generations come here, and have everybody know us and to keep the tradition going.
The Serrato family will keep bringing future generations to Tracy High in order to keep the tradition going.
