Key Takeaways
- From a young age, Kain’s parents encouraged him in his athletic journey.
- His upbringing on the ranch shaped his strong work ethic, which he carried onto the football field.
- His mother recalled that he had always been ultra-competitive and determined to win.
Kain Medrano, an American football linebacker for the UCLA Bruins, was born to his supportive parents, Mark and Alexa Medrano.
From an early age, they encouraged his athletic journey, attending his games and celebrating his achievements.
Growing up in Pueblo, Colorado, Medrano spent his childhood with his younger sister, Harlie, with whom he often spent Fridays on the family ranch or accompanying his grandfather to cattle auctions.
The ranch became more than just a home; it was where he learned discipline, resilience, and the value of hard work.
At dawn, Kain would wake up at 4 a.m. to bale hay, fix fences, or chase down cattle—tasks that were part of daily life on his grandparents’ 1,500-acre ranch, homesteaded by their family four generations ago.
Reflecting on those early lessons, Kain shared:
If you want to be successful, you’ve got to do all this stuff behind the scenes. That’s what my grandpa taught me. He was like, ‘Even though we’ve got all of this, I had to work for a lot of this. Grandma had to work for all of this. Your great-grandparents had to go through a lot to get this land.’
Via Dailynews
His mother, Alexa, emphasized the importance of exposing children to different lifestyles:
I think it’s important to expose your kids to all kinds of different lifestyles and see how different people make their living and what’s important to them. My dad was always so very patient with the kids. He taught them how to be patient with the livestock, the horses, the cattle.
Via Dailynews
Although Medrano no longer saddles horses or waters livestock as he did at rodeos with his grandfather, he applies the same relentless work ethic on the football field. That dedication has made him a crucial player for UCLA’s defence.
Initially recruited as a wide receiver, Medrano switched to linebacker ahead of the 2020 season when then-head coach Chip Kelly recognized his physical potential for the role.
Though it was his first time playing the position, his competitive spirit made the transition natural.
Alexa recalled that Kain’s drive was evident from childhood:
He’s been that way since he was little. Always wanted to be a part of whatever was going on and always very ultra-competitive. If you told him that somebody was going to beat him, he would do everything in his power not to let that happen.
Via Dailynews
Medrano fell in love with sports early, starting flag football at age four before expanding into track, basketball, and even a brief rodeo career.
His rodeo highlight came when he competed in the Mutton Bustin’ World Championships in Las Vegas as a first-grader, earning his first belt buckle—one he won himself rather than receiving as a gift from his grandparents.
Though his rodeo days were short-lived, he remained close to his grandfather, a former steer wrestler, team roper, bareback rider, and bull rider who later became a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association judge.
As Medrano pursued football seriously, his parents played a crucial role in his journey.
During his junior year of high school, they helped him identify five schools where he could see himself playing and enrolled him in camps at each one.
Determined to give their son the best opportunities, Alexa and Mark made sacrifices—sending him to Idaho to stay with his uncle for Boise State’s camp, while Mark balanced work travel with dropping Kain and his teammates off at camps.
A three-star recruit, Medrano found motivation in Pueblo’s talented but often overlooked football players, including Derion “D.I.” Ibarra, a former Pueblo East running back who went on to play at CSU Pueblo. He said:
Seeing how good of athletes they were but not given the right opportunity to showcase it, I think me and my dad saw that and saw the potential that was there.
Via Dailynews
For Medrano, football is more than just a sport—it’s a tribute to the values instilled in him by his grandparents. He further added:
Something in remembrance to my grandfather and my grandma. It taught me what hard work is. You know that saying, if you’ve got a scratch or a boo-boo, you just rub some dirt on it? That was my life. Put your head down, work.
Via Dailynews
While not much is known about Kain’s parents’ professions or personal details, their sacrifices and his grandparents’ lessons played a crucial role in shaping his success.
Their unwavering belief in him transformed a hardworking ranch kid into a standout linebacker at UCLA.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Over his first four seasons (2019-2022), Medrano played in 25 games, contributing 67 tackles, four tackles for loss, four pass deflections, an interception, and a forced fumble.
- In 2024, he played all 12 games, tallying 72 tackles (11 for loss), 1.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and two interceptions before declaring for the 2025 NFL Draft.
