Jake Truss

When you grow up with a coach for a father, dedication and hard work simply go with the territory. Luckily for Jake Truss, a University of Houston-Victoria junior with a love of athletics, that wasn’t a problem.

“My dad coached my high school football team, and he was definitely a coach all the time,” he said with a laugh. “But really, I think it made me who I am today. I’m pretty lucky.”

Truss got his start in athletics early on, playing everything from football to baseball and even taking to the golf course. It seems that golf really stuck.

Today Truss has a spot on the Jaguar men’s golf team, practicing the sport he’s loved since age 6.

The team is a good fit, he said, explaining the men on the team are friends both on and off the course.

“We all get along well,” he said. “There are no problems, and no drama. We expect certain things from each other, which is good. When you’re buddies – not just teammates – you can hold each other accountable.”

Golf isn’t his only hobby, however.

Truss came from a musical family – his father is a piano player, while his mother’s side of the family plays a variety of instruments. He naturally followed suit. First came piano, then drums with the church band and guitar once he started high school.

Truss plays his music around Victoria, belting out a mixture of Texas country tunes – both originals and cover songs.

“When you’re not well known, you have to play covers to keep them interested,” he said. “But I love to write music. It’s kind of my escape.”

Truss was born and raised in Gatesville and graduated in 2011 from Gatesville High School before attending UHV. He now is working toward a degree in biomedical science.

He admitted that the transition to college life took some adjustment. His freshman year, for instance, brought too much focus on his hobbies and not enough on schoolwork. With time, however, came a better balance.

“As I got older and more mature, I figured out how to put things in the right order,” he said. “Being busy doesn’t bother me, I like it, but it was just a matter of learning how to manage things.”

He offered a bit of advice for others starting out at UHV.

“Go to class, and buy your books – that would be my advice,” he said. “Do that, and it’ll get you going in the right direction.”

I am a Jaguar is an online feature highlighting the exceptional students who attend the University of Houston-Victoria. To nominate a student, contact Paula Cobler, UHV director of marketing and communications, or call 361-570-4350.