ARLINGTON, Texas -- Everyone has a special talent they can offer to the world. For Omar, baseball has always been his first true love.

Twenty-year-old Omar Salinas is a junior at UT Arlington and is studying Interdisciplinary Studies. His father, Andres Salinas, pushed Omar to follow his footsteps and his legacy.

As a first generation student athlete, Omar aspires to be a high school coach to train athletes to have a strong mindset.

"My father played baseball for the Mexican league when he was in his twenties," Salinas said. "He has inspired me to break my personal record and play to the best of my ability every single day."

Salinas started off playing t-ball when he was three years old and continued to play baseball his entire four years of high school. He broke former UTA Maverick Hunter Pence's record at Arlington High School by hitting a .475 as a senior.

After graduating in 2014, Salinas played baseball for Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas for two years. During his sophomore year at Hill College, Salinas pulled his right hamstring which later required him to switch positions from being an outfielder to first base. Prior to his injuries, Salinas' batting average was a .444, and he received awards in All Conference, All Region, and All American honors.

After graduating with an associate's degree at Hill College, Salinas received an offer to play at UTA. Salinas began school and training fall of 2016.

"UTA is close to home and my parents will be able to attend all of my home games on campus. I want to look at my parents' faces and the joy I bring to them by playing baseball," Salinas said.

Salinas received offers to play at other Division I schools, yet he chose UTA because he has always liked to be the "underdog team."

Salinas wants to coach high school baseball after he graduates from. Coaching will give him the opportunity to share his talent to young students seeking a baseball career in the future.

"High school is where you have the most fun while there's not a lot of pressure. College baseball is more of a job simply because you are on a scholarship," Salinas said.

Salinas wants to prove to people that playing a sport in school should not be the end of a career, but the start of it. Many athletes continue their love for a certain sport but express it by coaching youth and adults.

"The end does not have to stop here," Salinas said.