Carlos Chicas: Calling the Hogs En Español

Jose Lopez/Razorbacks En Espanol Carlos Chicas of Rogers is part of a broadcast team bringing Razorback sports to a new audience.

Whether the sport is football or futbol, Carlos Chicas has the world of athletics covered in northwest Arkansas.

The 34-year-old Chicas debuted last year as the "Voice of the Razorbacks En Español." He and broadcast partner Jose Lopez will be back in the booth this season bringing football action to the state's growing Hispanic population on ESPN Deportes channels in Fort Smith and northwest Arkansas. Efforts are underway to line up a central Arkansas radio affiliate as well.

That's just the beginning of Chicas' sports involvement. Chicas, a former professional soccer player in his native Guatemala, is the television anchor for "Razorbacks En Español," which airs Saturdays on local Univision channels. He's been a part of the broadcast team for Arkansas women's basketball and soccer and will likely handle baseball duties again in the spring.

Chicas, who moved to the state in 1994 and now lives with his family in Rogers, also serves as director of the Arkansas Wizards Soccer Club, which serves as something of a farm system for the Kansas City Wizards and Atlas of Mexico professional soccer franchises.

Even with all that going on, Chicas took time to explain to ArkansasSports360.com why he has the Best Seat in the House:

AS360.com: You were a professional soccer player for several years in Guatemala. What's your most memorable moment from those days?

I can't forget scoring a goal my first game. I rode the bench for two years. ... Coach finally told me I was going to get to play and I thought to myself, 'If I get cut tomorrow, I will be happy.' So to go out and score a goal, it's hard to describe. I took a shot with my left, bounced it off the defender and it went it. We won 1-0.

I was crying. I couldn't believe it. I was in tears.

Your broadcast position high up in the southwest corner of Reynolds Razorback Stadium probably offers a good view, but you have to get a little nervous when a good gust of wind comes through, right? That doesn't seem like the safest spot in the world.

That's when you start thinking about God, man [Laughs]. We are just trying to help promote the sport however we can. There are a lot of Latinos in northwest Arkansas. We want those Latinos to come and support Razorback sports. ... It's great. We love it because we are right there with the fans. We have a great view. Of course we'd like our own press box spot. I don't know how long it will take, but I'm sure Matt Shanklin is working on it.