Feature Release: OnlyVarro

 I had the pleasure of sitting down and having a conversation with Division III Athlete and Social Media star Navarro Blakes, screen name OnlyVarro. Navarro has had a very interesting journey through the years and has developed into a high-quality Lacrosse player. I asked him about his upbringing, his motivations, and his future: here’s what he had to say.

Navarro’s lacrosse journey started late in his high school career. “I wanted to play in my junior year, but my mom wouldn't let me. She said that it was too late and that I should try out next year. It wasn’t because the game was too physical, or I was undersized. I missed the timeline and had to wait another year.” 

Navarro graduated high school in 2020, and we all remember how this year went. Being a student athlete was not easy at the time, and this is what he had to say  about his high school experience through Covid-19. “ I got my highest GPA ever during Covid. The circumstances were complicated and completely different than anything I’ve ever gone through. I played a lot of Fortnite and video games in quarantine, I'm sorry mom. Having a goal in my backyard helped a lot too because of how close it was, I never had to leave the house to get some work in.”

I asked Varro if he could play any sport besides lacrosse at a college level, what would it be?

“Football. You’ve seen me run in the field, I’m quick. I used to play receiver in high school, and I ran track and field. I would dust fools.”

Onlyvarro has accumulated over 60k followers on TikTok for his lacrosse content, so I asked him about his journey through social media. Navarro started taking videos of himself before he even thought about producing content. These were just videos for him to correct his form, and to improve as a player. The first year that he created content, he was met with so much negative backlash, making it mentally difficult for him to continue. Yet, the love and support from those who left positive comments and responses meant the world, and he continued through the hardship to support those who help him. “The first year was rough man, there was so much hate in my comments that would demotivate me, but the ones who would stay positive in my comments and show love are the ones that drive me to be better, to continue creating content.” 

Navarro became dedicated to the mission of helping others in the way he knew how. Lacrosse. He started by making tutorials on how to do the moves he likes, taking inspiration from his idols in the lacrosse world.

His hard work on social media solidified him as a significant force in Division III Lacrosse, as he signed deals and partnerships with brands and organizations, collaborations with other creators, attending significant lacrosse events and meeting some of the sport's legends. His love for the game is ever-growing, and he has nothing but high hopes and dreams for his future.