In this
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In the Game Magazine
Columbus Valley Edition
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AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2015
32 06 Brantley Sawyer Sports Zone
Harris County High School
08 Mason Henderson
Musician finds balance with athletics, academics Calvary Christian School
10 Danielle Johnston All In a Day’s Work
Athletic Trainer, Hughston Clinic
14 Cover Story
BACKFIELD BRUISERS
Columbus Valley Area Running Backs
32 Briana Grier
Athlete takes the “leading” in cheerleading to heart
Javontay Smith Jawon Pass
Shaw High School
Carver High School
34 Raytrevius Peterson
16 Coach’s Corner
Championship gives football athlete desire for repeat victory
Jamey DuBose
Central High School
28 Jack Little
Teammates have become like second family to freshman
Richards Middle School
Also Inside: Editor’s Letter...............................04 2015 Spring Reception................24 Ten Questions..............................31
Brookstone School
32
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Columbus Valley Edition
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Editor
In the Game Magazine
AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2015
Victory Requires Payment in Advance Recently, I saw a t-shirt that read, “Victory requires payment in advance.” I have no idea who originally made the statement, but it made me think a few minutes about the meaning. It’s very true when applied to sports but also to life in general. That’s one of the reasons I value athletics. So many life lessons are gained from the experiences of being part of a team or participating in sports. The down payment on success for this fall’s sport season came long before the school year started or the first competition begins. Athletes all over the Columbus Valley have been putting in long hours conditioning and training for their respective sports during summer break. Often I interview high school athletes who actually began playing sports before they started kindergarten; others go above and beyond to enhance their talents and abilities with private coaching lessons and participation on travel teams. The desire to win, or at least to rise to the level of champions, takes hard work, time, and determination. It also takes dedication and a whole lot of sacrifice from coaches and parents. Sports cost, too. I was speechless when one athlete shared with me the price of participating in a local sport. But despite financial hurdles and a few negatives along the way, the reward of athletics far exceeds the deposits made along the way, even if victory is elusive. I see those rewards when I watch local football players gather for a photo shoot. From various schools, with different backgrounds and life experiences, these young men have a common denominator: football. In an instant, they can relate to one another
and begin conversations. Laughing, they tease and share stories. They make projections and talk about rivals. For a little while, too, it’s a level playing field; each athlete has as much value as another. I also see the rewards when athletes acknowledge parents or grandparents who helped them along this road. Many come from homes where their parents played sports growing up. Occasionally, the most admired person in an athlete’s life is their coach. Almost every athlete I have ever interviewed recognizes good coaching, and I have observed, on countless occasions, local coaches go above and beyond what the playbook dictates. Every year at this time, In the Game High School Sports Magazine previews a little bit of high school football. We’ve thrown in a few other stories and features, because man cannot live by football alone. Along that line of thought, I hope this edition will kick off a year of high school athletics that surpasses even the best of years for local teams. Our area is known for producing great athletes and winning teams. Here’s to success, both on and off the fields of play, for ALL sports programs in the Columbus Valley for 2015-2016. Victory may require payment in advance, but it is always good to be In the Game!
Beth Welch
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BRANTLEY SAWYER
ZONE Harris County High School SPORTS by Beth Welch photos by Jerry Christenson
IN THE WORLD OF SPORTS, FALL MEANS FOOTBALL.
It’s a big deal around this area, but football isn’t the only game in town. Competition cheerleading also is a fall sport and many local high school cheer squads have been hard at work for many weeks preparing for the season. Cheerleading for high school-based teams has basically been divided into two groups. Spirit teams are designated squads which cheer at football and basketball games. Competition teams may also be cheerleaders for certain sports but these days, the competition squads have developed into units that are skilled, precise and very athletic. A two and a half minute routine for competition squads features tumbling, stunts and jumps which are evaluated at competitions by a panel of judges. Harris County High School’s competition cheer team is sporting a new head coach. Brantley Sawyer recently took over the reins of the Tigers’ program and is eagerly looking forward to the cheer season. In The Game High School Sports Magazine is featuring Sawyer and her cheer athletes in the Sports Zone for an opportunity to get a sneak preview of their expectations for the year. ITG
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When did you begin your coaching career? Brantley Sawyer: This season!
How long have been the coach at Harris County High School? BS: I have been the coach at HCHS since tryouts in March! I am extremely excited to tackle my first year as the coach at HCHS. This is where I cheered, and I used to tell my coaches that I would be coaching this squad one day! Now that I am the coach, I feel a huge sense of responsibility to make my former coaches proud and to make every season one the girls will never forget. We are in the beginning stages, but we are building something special that I am extremely excited about!
Are you a teacher at HCHS? BS: I teach third grade at Pine Ridge Elementary, another school in the Harris County school system.
In your opinion, what makes competition cheer a sport? BS: I am always discouraged by the lack of respect that competition cheerleading gets from people in the sports world. But I also know
At A Glance: that anyone who argues that it is not a sport has never tried to do a routine. If they had, their opinion would be different. Any sport requires its athletes to condition, so their bodies are in top physical form and train for movements that are specific to that sport, cheerleading is no different. These girls condition like crazy and continue to work on the skills they need to have to be a part of our routine. Anyone can run out on a football field and kick the ball, but only those who have trained to kick it between the goalposts are going to be able to do so. The same can be said for these girls. Anyone can run out on a track and yell a cheer, but very few people can run out on a floor, throw their friend in the air several feet, jump in the air and flip their body in a multitude of ways or stand in the air on top of other people’s hands while pulling their leg over their head. All of those things require specialized training and years of practice. These girls are athletes because of the work they put in all year, the training they have to make the squad and the physicality it takes to make those two minutes and thirty seconds memorable.
How many cheer athletes are in your competition program? BS: Between the JV competition squad and varsity squad, we have 34 athletes.
Are there any particular athletes on your varsity squad to watch this season? BS: All of them, obviously! We have built an excellent squad this year and mixed it with new ideas and a new conditioning program that is going to pay off big time when competition season gets here. The amount of talent that we have this season is exciting, and I cannot wait to show people what we are made of!
Do you have an assistant coach or someone who helps with the cheer program? BS: I do not have an assistant coach, but thankfully Tara Hale (the JV competition coach) and I are working very close with one another to provide support for each other as well as the two squads. We both agree that the relationship between JV and varsity is crucial, and we are focusing on building that relationship this season. The success of a varsity program is based on the athletes that are developed in the JV program and without a good relationship between the two, both programs suffer. On top of separate practices, the girls practice together as one large squad multiple times a week. Practicing together helps them to bond and create relationships they would not have the chance to if we kept everything separate. We know that creating this type of relationship between the two
Age 26 Family My parents (Scott and Kim) and brother, Seth Hometown Harris County Education Masters in Early Childhood Education Athletic background Varsity football/competition cheerleader throughout high school Job/Position 3rd grade teacher at Pine Ridge Elementary; Varsity Cheer Coach, Harris County High School Favorite past time Any time spent laughing with friends Person you most admire My grandmother squads will long benefit the Harris County Cheerleading program.
How long is the competition cheer season? BS: Competition season begins the first week in September and ends the second weekend in November.
How many competitions will your cheer squad compete in this season? BS: We will compete in six sanctioned events throughout the state, then the regional competition, and finally the state competition.
What is the best thing about coaching at Harris County High School? BS: The passion that people in our community have for the school is amazing. We never have to wonder if we will have enough fans in the crowd because we know they will be there to show us their love without a doubt. When I first got this position, I had so many different people reach out to me with pieces of advice. Anyone who is lucky enough to coach in this county gets a built-in support system. Not to mention the constant help and guidance that Tara gives me! We are also very fortunate to have the overwhelming support of the parents and school system. They help us in so many different ways, and we are so grateful for all that they do to help us as a squad!
August / September 2015
In the Game
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by Beth Welch photos by Jerry Christenson
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August / September 2015
CALVARY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
MASON HENDERSON Musician finds balance with athletics, academics
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uring his junior year at Calvary Christian School, Mason Henderson became very adept at time management. The multitalented musician and dualsport athlete spent the year adapting to playing sports while also fitting in practices for his church’s worship team. Throughout his busy schedule, Henderson came away with a solid 3.8 grade point average. It wasn’t easy, and he admits his grades did dip a bit in the beginning, but Henderson had the experiences of a lifetime as a member of not one, but two sports teams that advanced to the state playoffs. “Two state appearances in one year. That is a pretty big deal,” says Henderson. The Calvary Knights football team and baseball teams both advanced to the state playoffs, with both teams going into the final game of their respective series. Although the teams didn’t come out as state champs in Division I of the Georgia Independent Christian Athletic Association (GICAA), Henderson claims the ride to the finals was something to remember. Prior to last year’s winning seasons for the football and baseball teams, Henderson had not participated in organized sports since he was a youngster. He became interested in music in the third grade when he learned to play the piano. Soon thereafter, he began playing for First Assembly of God Church in Phenix City during the kid’s worship program. Along the way he added the drums, guitar, and other keyboard instruments. Music became a true passion for Henderson. In the fifth or sixth grade, his church recognized his talents and asked him become a part of the main church worship service. “Yeah, I got called up to the big leagues. Big church is what we called it,” he says, laughing. Developing his talent with musical instruments and assisting with church worship took a lot of Henderson’s time after school
hours. He had only attended Calvary for PreK back in the day, but enrolled at the private Christian school his freshman year. At that time, he was still heavily involved with his music. “I just really didn’t think I had the time to try sports. I had practices for church and the worship team. Right before my junior year, I decided I would like to play football because I didn’t want to leave high school and miss out on the experience,” he explains. Although he had a little anxiety the first day of spring football, Henderson says after he put his helmet on and got into the mix, everything came back to him. He found a place on the team as a linebacker, which suited Henderson just fine. Laughing, he says the best thing about playing that position is getting to hit someone without getting in trouble. The experience on the gridiron inspired Henderson to try out for baseball during the school’s fall ball schedule. Football sparked a desire to be a part of team sports, and Henderson found the same sense of belonging with the Knights’ baseball team. Last spring, the second baseman (and sometimes outfielder) found himself a part of another winning team. It was definitely a positive experience for the rookie athlete. Due to his athletic endeavors taking up a good chunk of his time, Henderson found that the church music practices sometimes were a casualty of his busy schedule. He missed a few Sundays of play in church because of missed practices with the worship team, but on the whole, Henderson says he managed to keep everything going in the right direction. He could have slacked off with his grades and just done the bare minimum in order to comply with pass/play requirements. Henderson did find he let his academics slip a little, but he quickly got a grip on the situation, placing academics ahead of everything else.
“The work has always come a little easy to me, but with the added practices for sports, I had to start paying more attention. My parents want me to make good grades, but it is really something that I do because I know the academics are the important part of what I am doing,” he says. For his senior year, Henderson is taking AP and Honors classes in preparation for college. He plans on attending Columbus State University after high school. His favorite subject is anatomy, which leads him to think he might like to pursue a field of study related to it. This fall, the senior is excited about his second football season. There is a lot to be excited about, too. Calvary is in the process of developing an athletic complex that includes the new football field for Knights home games. It’s a first for the school, and Henderson is hoping the season leads to another first: a state football championship. Of course, he wouldn’t mind adding a state baseball championship, too. “That would be ok with me,” says Henderson with a smile. ITG
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“Most of what I see during football season, surprisingly, is a lot of ankle sprains and wrist sprains. The athletes are pretty good about following what I tell them. The biggest issue is getting them to give something time. But they are young athletes so that is to be expected.”
Danielle Johnston: Athletic Trainer All in I A Day’s Work
by Beth Welch photography by Jerry Christenson
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t’s game day at Kinnett Stadium and the Hardaway Hawks football team is on the field taking care of business. The next play ends with two players’ equipment making very loud contact. One person on the Hawks’ sidelines has an immediate thought. “Someone’s not going to get up.” And that is when Danielle “DJ” Johnston begins to take of another kind of football business. Johnston is one of 20 graduate assistants in the Athletic Training Fellowship Program of the Hughston Foundation. Eight Muscogee School District schools along with three out of county high schools and one private school
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benefit from have athletic trainers on site during sports practices and athletic events. The Columbus Lions and Chattahoochee Valley Community College also are served by Hughston athletic trainers. On this evening, the two players involved in the on-field collision suffer no injuries nor require assistance from Johnston. Unfortunately, that is not always the case but Johnston is prepared in any event. The New York native has been playing various sports since the age of three and attended Dominican College on a volleyball scholarship. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in athletic training and has one specific rule when it comes to providing care for acute injuries.
“I just try to remain calm. The training kicks in, but you have to remember the situation requires for someone to be calm. It wouldn’t help for me to be freaking out if the athlete is freaking out,” says Johnston with a laugh. So how did the 24-year-old New Yorker wind up standing on the sidelines of high school football games in Georgia? Johnston is the fiancée of Brendan Bonacum, the lacrosse coach at Columbus State University. When he came South, she followed after being accepted in the program at Hughston. Johnston arrived in July of last year and was assigned to Hardaway High School by Andy Grubbs, Director of Athletic Training at The Hughston Foundation. When asked about the culture shock of moving to Columbus, the easy-going Johnston laughs. “Not too much. About the biggest thing has been adjusting to the heat. I have been here for a year and I still can’t get used to it,” she says, smiling. As for her job, well, there are no down sides in her opinion. She says the athletes and coaching staff at Hardaway have accepted her and she fits in not really as part of staff but as someone who brings a different kind of expertise to the table. Johnston is responsible for covering all the sports at Hardaway from fall to the last of spring. She is on site for sports practices even during the summer. Her experience so far has been a wide range of activities and duties both on the field of play and off. “Every athlete must have a physical in order to play a sport. I have to make sure they are cleared to play and keep up with those forms,” she says. In addition, Johnston has to ensure athletes have completed an informational program about concussion injuries. Recently, concussion management has received widespread attention, particularly in reference to the sport of football. The Hughston Foundation supplies
their trainers with Impact, a software program that helps educate athletes about concussion injury. During practices and sports events, Johnston can be found monitoring temperature guidelines for sports activities or return to play procedures following concussion injury, caring for heat-related stress and tending to sprains, strains and even a few broken bones. Hughston provides further services to schools by having one of their doctors assigned to school sports events and the availability of Saturday clinic, where high school athletes injured playing sports are able to see a physician. Having a physician at games or available to consult is reassuring to Johnston. For Hardaway, that physician is Dr. Michael Tucker, a graduate of Hardaway who also serves in the same capacity for Columbus High School athletics. Johnston is also a big fan of the Saturday clinic because of the availability of x-ray. “Sometimes, you just aren’t sure and having an x-ray is the best option. It is pretty great to be able to get that done there,” she says. During football season, the nature of the sport is such that Johnston is often the lone female in a world of male coaches and athletes. She is pretty comfortable in the role and says she finds she is treated as a medical professional first but has come to learn the best part of her job is working with the athletes. After one year of experience and going into her second football season, Johnston has learned two other things. One, she’s become close to the sports programs at Hardaway creating a desire to see the athletes and teams be successful, and, the other is definitely a Southern thing. “I knew about football and have been around it my whole life. Of course, where I come from it was NFL football. Down here, it’s college and high school football,” she says. Laughing and shaking her head, she adds, “It’s crazy how big a deal football is here.” ITG
COVER STORY “I want a state championship.” Those were the words of Javontay Smith and Jawon Pass when I asked each one what their goals were for the 2015 season. I spoke with them separately, on the phone about 15 minutes apart. They didn’t have time to get together and discuss their answers. They answered independently of each other and without hesitation. I got the message loud and clear. These two players, both Division I prospects with bright football futures ahead of them for years to come, want a state championship. And they feel like the 2015 Carver High Tigers can deliver.
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August / September 2015
Pair of Division I players committed to bringing a state championship to Carver by Robert Preston Jr. photos by Jerry Christenson
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inning a state title isn’t easy. It takes more than talent alone. Certainly talent is a part of the equation but it takes commitment, tremendous work, a steadfast refusal to accept defeat, and more than a little luck. In all honesty, there aren’t but a handful of teams in each classification that can win a state championship. Most players, regardless of what school or where they are located, start each season with dreams of state titles in their eyes. For most, it’s not a reality. For a variety of reasons, the overwhelming majority of football teams in the state aren’t built for a championship run. But the Carver High Tigers are. And these two are big reasons why. The 2015 Tigers are good. Really good. They are loaded from top to bottom with talent. After a 3-7 campaign in 2006, Carver hasn’t played a season of fewer than 13 games – except for last year. During that run, they’ve been to the semifinals four times and the finals once – in 2007 when the Tigers won a state championship. Last year was an anomaly. Carver went 8-3 and lost at home in the first round to Jones County by a single point. That shouldn’t have happened and everyone has had a bad taste in their mouths since Nov. 14 – none more so than these guys. They didn’t like the way the season ended and they don’t want ’15 to end the same way. They feel like they have 15 games in them this year – and they feel like they can win that last one.
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Jawon Pass Quarterback
Carver quarterback Jawon Pass has just about everything – a solid GPA (3.5), size, strength, speed, work ethic, and a knowledge of the game that belies his youth. Scouts and recruiting services can’t get enough of him. Opponents can’t wait until he graduates. His coaches, meanwhile, hope this will the year that he truly realizes his potential and leads his team well into December. Pass is a big kid – 6’5”, 225 – with a cannon for an arm and lightning bolts for legs. He’s a true dual-threat quarterback and has posted some monster numbers during his career. In 2013, according to 247sports. com, Pass threw for 2,197 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also rushed for 404 yards and 11 scores. Last season, he threw for close to 2,500 yards, ran for nearly 500 yards, and accounted for 40 touchdowns (27 passing, 13 rushing). Pass is a four-star recruit, one of the most sought-after quarterbacks in the country, and the kind of player
who can take over a game. He’s been the center of attention since he took over at quarterback as a sophomore. He solidified his place in Carver football lore as a sophomore when, in the first round against B.E.S.T. Academy, he connected with Dreilon Freeman on a 10-yard pass in the fourth overtime to win the game. Pass has been making plays ever since. The brother of Khane Pass, now a defensive back at Louisville, the quarterback cites his brother as helping him become the player he is today. “I used to play against him every day in practice. I always had to bring my ‘A’ game then. I won some, he won a few. But yeah, he helped me get better,” Pass says. The senior signal-caller had up to 23 scholarship offers. He’s narrowed the list down to five, which includes Auburn, Alabama, and Louisville. When asked about what he’s looking for in a
college, Pass doesn’t say much. He’s keeping his cards close to his vest but has pledged to make a decision on July 16 – shortly before this edition hits the streets. (So by the time you’re reading this, you’ll already know where he plans to continue his career.)
Javontay Smith Safety
Javontay Smith, a 6’2”, 195-pound senior safety, is the leader of Carver’s defense. A starter since his sophomore year, Smith has experienced success with Carver. And last year wasn’t what he would consider a success. “Our season was pretty fair,” he says, “but we lost in the first round.” When he uttered those words, the disappointment in his voice was almost palpable. He wants to win, and he understands the urgency of this season. Smith is a fast, physical safety who knows how to find the ball. He finished last season with 59 tackles and seven interceptions. He returned one pick for a touchdown in Week Five against Columbus High. For 2015, he would like to double all of those statistics. “I enjoy hitting and tackling. It’s what I want to do.
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When you’re on the field, there are no limits. Anything goes, and it’s legal,” he says. Several schools approached Smith with scholarship offers. He’s a good student – he has a 3.5 grade point average – and an elite-level football player. Rated a three-star recruit with most recruiting services, Smith gets high marks for his speed, hands, and the physical manner in which he patrols the secondary. He’s not one of those defensive backs to shy away from contact. Instead, he seeks his targets and makes them pay. The All-State and AllBi-City selection had his choice of schools to attend but ultimately decided on North Carolina. “They’ve been there since day one. They wanted me, and I decided to stick with them,” he says.
Do the Tigers have a chance to win a state title? Indeed they do. Since these two arrived on the Carver campus, the Tigers have played 37 games. That’s almost an extra season of practices and games. That kind of football fitness gets in players’ bones and pays dividends for years to come. They’ve played on big stages; they have big-time players and a history of deep playoff runs. They’re also motivated. The 2014 season was a disappointment, and this team doesn’t want to let down its fans or community. Yeah, the Tigers can make a run at a state championship. And these two players will be a big reason why. ITG
COACH’S CORNER
JAMEY DUBOSE CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
After two state titles at Prattvile, DuBose ready to bring a championship to Central by Robert Preston Jr. photography by Jerry Christenson
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steep learning curve. It’s an oft-used phrase at times that loses its meaning due to the frequency with which it’s used. The football players at Central High School, however, know the meaning of this particular cliché all too well. They found themselves on a steeper curve than they could ever have imagined in 2014, and they answered the challenge better than anyone could have expected. Head coach Jamey DuBose came to Central from Charles Henderson High School late in the year – in June, to be exact. He spent 2012 and 2013 at Florence High School. He left Florence to take the head coaching job at Charles Henderson, but resigned as Trojans’ head coach when the Central job unexpectedly came open late in the year. He never coached a game at Charles Henderson. Prior to the first game of the 2014 season, he only had seven padded practices with the Red Devils. “The kids did an outstanding job. They accepted change and my process. It was a steep curve and a fast-paced change. We’ve been able to slow some things down this year, and I feel good about where we’re going,” says DuBose. Despite the challenges the team faced last year, Central went 10-2 and won Region 2-7A with a 6-0 record. The Red Devils advanced to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs, losing to the Prattville Lions 26-7 (where DuBose won two state titles as head coach in 2008 and 2011) after defeating the Lions 42-34 during the regular season. It may have been more than everyone expected, but DuBose and his staff want their team to achieve more. DuBose graduated from Opp High School, where he played football and baseball. He went to Huntington College to play baseball before transferring to Troy, where he graduated with a degree in education in 1994. Coaching was something that DuBose always wanted to do, and he
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had a very specific path he wanted his career to follow. “I decided in high school that I wanted to be a coach. It was very important to me to be a head coach at a large school in Alabama and win a state championship. Now, I want to win a title at another school. I want to show that our system works,” he says. DuBose has been coaching for 22 years, nine of which have been spent as head coach. During the course of his career, he’s played for state titles three times as an assistant and three times as a head coach. He has four total state titles – two while an assistant and two as head coach. All of his state championships came at Prattville. His system obviously works, and it’s one that blends a family atmosphere with a fast-paced, high-intensity approach to the game. DuBose and his staff work hard to give their teams a family feel. They en-
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courage the kids and let them know they have faith in them to get the job done. At the same time, they correct the kids and make sure they know what is expected of them. DuBose also believes success can be found in numbers and high-energy, fastpaced practices. “There’s a lot of energy around us. We’re a family, but we’re also intense,” he says. DuBose runs a spread offense and believes that an unrelenting, physical defense is the key to winning a title. He has nine kids returning on defense this year, seven of which have Division I offers. “Defense wins championships,” he says bluntly. Over the course of his career, he’s seen tremendous changes in the way athletes prepare for the game and the way the game itself is played. He says players are bigger, faster, and stronger than they used to be. It seems as though each year, kids get bigger
“We’re in our second year here now. Last year, we had to rush to get everything in place. We can slow down a little this year. I feel like the program is headed in the right direction.”
and bigger. As they’ve gotten better, the speed of the game has picked up. “Bodies have changed and football has gotten faster,” he says. To keep up, coaches have gotten more educated in all aspects of the game, from weight training and injury prevention to good old fashioned X’s and O’s. “We do more; faster than we used to. Early in my career, we’d do three-a-days for three hours at each practice. We were out there all day long. We can’t do that anymore. What we’re doing with spread offenses, nutrition, and everything else – football has changed,” he says. One of the biggest changes that has
taken some getting used to (but is ultimately for the better) is the role technology is playing in high school football. As coaches reviewed game film on Saturday mornings in years gone by, they would often say things like, “If only we had seen that last night in the third quarter, we could have fixed it.” Now, thanks to technology, they can. Coaches have access to sideline replay and can make significant adjustments during games. In some ways, it’s almost like playing a video game in real time with real people – reading what’s happening on a screen and placing bodies in the right places at the right time. “We can break down games dur-
ing games. It’s amazing,” he says. So what does all this mean for the Central High Red Devils? It means they’re going to be good, and the improvement will come sooner rather than later. DuBose comes from a coaching tree that includes some of the best high school football coaches, not only in Alabama, but in the United States. He has a proven record of success with a championship resume. Central High School has the resources, the infrastructure, and the desire to win that, coupled with DuBose’s commitment to his craft, will make the Red Devils a state title contender very soon. ITG
August / September 2015
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Backfield Bruisers by Beth Welch photos by Jerry Christenson
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School has just begun, and the fall months mean football is headed our way. Each year just prior to football season, In the Game High School Sports Magazine highlights a particular position in the game of football. For the 2015 school year, ITG put out the call for local high school coaches to send us the best running backs around. The result was 16 outstanding running backs from the Chattahoochee Valley showing up at Calvary Christian School’s new football field for this feature. These guys are a testimony to the kind of talent high schools in this area produce. Each one has unique abilities and is a vital part of their individual teams. Friday nights under the stadium lights will be a little more exciting because of these stellar athletes. ITG
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Jaxton Carson Age: 16 Parents: Jason and Tomeka Carson Graduating class: 2017 Height: 5’8” Weight: 201 Position: RB Coach: Jamey DuBose How long have you been playing football? 11 years Favorite food: Pizza
Jacob Rovig Age: 17 Parents: Tim and Tracie Rovig Graduating class: 2016 Height: 6’0” Weight: 200 Position: RB/LB Coach: Dwight Jones How long have you been playing football? 13 years (since I was four) Favorite food: Prime Rib
Favorite movie: Shooter What do you like to do in your spare time? Hunt and fish Favorite sports team (college or professional): Georgia Bulldogs Person you would most like to meet: Mark Wahlberg Why do you enjoy the sport of football? I love running the football, big hits, and the Friday night lights
Northside High School
Age: 17 Parents: Frank Watts Graduating class: 2016 Height: 5’9” Weight: 185 Position: RB Coach: Morgan Ingram How long have you been playing football? Since I was five years old. Favorite food: Pizza and hot wings Favorite movie: When the Game Stands Tall What do you like to do in your spare time? Play Xbox Favorite sports team (college or professional): Lebron James Why do you enjoy the sport of football? My first love
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Favorite movie: Friday Night Lights What do you like to do in your spare time? Draw and play video games Favorite sports team (college or professional): University of Alabama Person you would most like to meet: Trent Richardson Why do you enjoy the sport of football? The thrill of displaying my talents on the field.
Harris County High School
Kalan Watts
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Central High School
August / September 2015
Kenjavis Poole Chattahoochee County High School
Age: 17 Parents: Salanda Brown Graduating class: 2017 Height: 5’9” Weight: 190 Position: RB Coach: Josh Kemp How long have you been playing football? All my life Favorite food: Fried chicken Favorite movie: American Sniper What do you like to do in your spare time? Lift weights Favorite sports team (college or professional): LSU Person you would most like to meet: Jesus Why do you enjoy the sport of football? I like to knock dudes out.
Prather Hudson Age: 18 Parents: Edward and Maxine Hudson Graduating class: 2016 Height: 5’1” Weight: 185 Position: CB/RB Coach: Scott Pethtel How long have you been playing football? Since I was four. Favorite food: Steak
Marco Lee Age: 15 Parents: Tiffany and Marco Lee Graduating class: 2018 Height: 5’9” Weight: 185 Position: RB/LB Coach: Jeff Battles How long have you been playing football? For six years Favorite food: Hot wings
Age: 16 Parents: Jeneka Jordan and Meredith Benton Graduating class: 2017 Height: 5’7” Weight: 170 Position: RB/FS/DB/WR Coach: Jim Brown How long have you been playing football? Since seventh grade Favorite food: Pizza Favorite movie: Any Given Sunday What do you like to do in your spare time? Listen to music Favorite sports team (college or professional): Auburn University, Seattle Seahawks Person you would most like to meet: TJ Yeldon Why do you enjoy the sport of football? It’s physical and I enjoy the teamwork from players, and I am a team player.
Favorite Movie: Remember the Titans What do you like to do in your spare time? Fishing Favorite sports team (college or professional): Auburn Person you would most like to meet: Gale Sayers Why do you enjoy the sport of football? The brotherhood that forms between the players.
Hardaway High School
Favorite movie: Friday What do you like to do in your spare time? Play basketball Favorite sports team (college or professional): Oregon Ducks Person you would most like to meet: Adrian Peterson Why do you enjoy the sport of football? I enjoy playing football because I enjoy working hard and the physical contact.
Jaden Jordan Jordan Vocational High School
Brookstone School
Jaquaze Gaines Carver High School
Age: 17 Parents: Tanetia Gaines Graduating class: 2016 Height: 5’10” Weight: 195 Position: RB Coach: Coach Kegler How long have you been playing football? Since 7 (years old) Favorite food: Cubed steak Favorite movie: Gridiron Gang What do you like to do in your spare time? Work out and chill with my family Favorite sports team (college or professional): Auburn Person you would most like to meet: Tavon Austin Why do you enjoy the sport of football? Because when I play football, I am happy and at peace.
Mykelle Kelley Age: 18 Parents: Marie Burton; Michael Kelley Graduating class: 2017 Height: 5’9” Weight: 170 Position: RB Coach: Mike Swaney How long have you been playing football? Since middle school Favorite food: Pizza
Walter Boze IV Age: 17 Parents: Amanda and Frank Walker; Walter Boze III Graduating class: 2016 Height: 5’7” Weight: 165 Position: RB Coach: Cedric Ware How long have you been playing football? All my life Favorite food: Chicken
Marion County Middle/High School
Favorite movie: Fifty Shades of Grey What do you like to do in your spare time? Play street basketball Favorite sports team (college or professional): Georgia State Person you would most like to meet: Todd Gurley Why do you enjoy the sport of football? Very competitive, fun, physical and it takes a man to play the sport, so I’m a man.
Kendrick High School
Favorite movie: Gridiron Gang What do you like to do in your spare time? Work out Favorite sports team (college or professional): Oregon Ducks Person you would most like to meet: De’Anthony Thomas Why do you enjoy the sport of football? It builds character, and I love the game.
Quan Holt Glenwood School
Age: 17 Parents: Sabrina Holt Graduating class: 2016 Height: 6’ Weight: 220 Position: RB/OLB Coach: Tripp Henderson How long have you been playing football? Six years Favorite food: Chicken, pizza, milkshakes Favorite movie: Grease What do you like to do in your spare time? Sleep Favorite sports team (college or professional): Auburn Tigers Person you would most like to meet: Ray Lewis Why do you enjoy the sport of football? I enjoy the sport of football because it teaches you how to build character and it separates the men from the boys.
Sydarrian Cobb Shaw High School
Age: 17 Parents: Velyon and Cory Cobb Graduating class: 2016 Height: 5’9” Weight: 175 Position: RB Coach: Charles Stamey How long have you been playing football? Since I was seven years old Favorite food: Pizza Favorite movie: Friday Night Lights What do you like to do in your spare time? Play my PS3 and PS4, fish, and watch football highlights Favorite sports team (college or professional): Alabama Person you would most like to meet: DeMarco Murray Why do you enjoy the sport of football? I just love the game and hope my talents can take me somewhere in life.
Anthony Santiago Age: 17 Parents: Hector Ostolaza and Lorina SantiagoOstolaza Graduating class: 2016 Height: 5’10” Weight: 207 Position: FB Coach: Brian Osborne How long have you been playing football? Three years
Ja’Quan Mason Age: 18 Parents: Shaletha Mason Graduating class: 2016 Height: 6’0” Weight: 193 Position: RB/SS Coach: Phillip Marino How long have you been playing football? Five years Favorite food: Pizza
DeAndre’ Bowman II Pacelli High School
Age: 17 Parents: DeAndre’ and Chari Bowman Graduating class: 2016 Height: 5’10” Weight: 180 Position: RB Coach: Alan Griffin How long have you been playing football? 12 years Favorite food: Pizza Favorite movie: The Bourne Legacy What do you like to do in your spare time? Video games Favorite sports team (college or professional): Los Angeles Lakers Person you would most like to meet: Reggie Bush Why do you enjoy the sport of football? The high intensity of the game and the contact.
Calvary Christian School
Favorite food: Red Snapper Favorite movie: Inception What do you like to do in your spare time? Shoot Favorite sports team (college or professional): New England Patriots Person you would most like to meet: Tom Brady Why do you enjoy the sport of football? It’s challenging and fun.
Columbus High School
Best movie: Step Brothers What do you like to do in your spare time? Play basketball Favorite sports team (college or professional): Seattle Seahawks Person you would most like to meet: Kam Chancellor Why do you enjoy the sport of football? I love the contact. It’s a sport where everyone and anyone can be aggressive.
Jermaine Hernandez Spencer High School Age: 17 Parents: Brendaliz Medina-Torres Graduating class: 2016 Height: 5’6” Weight: 145 Position: WR Coach: Pierre Coffey Favorite food: Pizza Favorite movie: Spirit What do you like to do in your spare time? Hang out with friends Favorite sports team (college or professional): Ohio State/Dallas Cowboys Person you would most like to meet? Dez Bryant Why do you enjoy the sport of football? Football helps me to realize what I’m capable of and reminds me that I can be successful. Football has always been my favorite thing to do.
COLUMBUS VALLEY Spring Reception May 13, 2015 presented by
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1. Baseball 15 2. Girls Golf 8 3. Boys Golf 8 4. Lacrosse 2 5. Boys Soccer 10 6. Girls Tennis 5 7. Boys Tennis 5 8. Boys Track 14 9. Girls Track 14 10. Girls Soccer 10
August / September 2015
In the Game
25
BROOKSTONE SCHOOL
JACK LITTLE Teammates have become like second family to freshman by Beth Welch photos by Jerry Christenson
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sk any football player why the sport is important to them and a variety of answers will be given. Almost all football players, however, eventually list one characteristic of the sport that binds them together: being a part of a team. It’s that feeling of camaraderie and loyalty to one another that has hooked Brookstone rising freshman Jack Little on the sport of football. He has been playing baseball since, well, for almost as long as he can remember. But for Little, 14, being a part of a football team is just different, especially at Brookstone. “The main thing I like is probably the teammates. They’re not just a person on the team or even a teammate. They really get adapted to you and you form a bond with each other. In football, you could say you are closer, because you rely on each other more. You kind of turn into your own family,” says Little. Speaking of family, Little might have a genetic link to playing football. His father, John Little, played at the University of Georgia, where he was a starting roverback for three seasons, beginning in 1984. Little was named to the Southeastern Conference Football Legends Class in 2014. While the son of the former Bulldog has grown up hearing about his father’s athletic talent, Jack Little’s mom, Toncy, said her husband was always cautious about pushing their sons toward any sport, much less football. That could be one reason the Brookstone student waited until the seventh grade before really giving any thought to playing football. The 5’11” and 137-pound athlete focused on baseball up until middle school. The decision to try out for the Brookstone team was twofold. “Well, my dad played for Georgia so I kind of felt like I needed to. It seemed interesting. And, most everybody in the grade (was playing),” he says, smiling.
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Little may have an impressive family tree when it comes to football, but he is clearly making his own way in the sport. Since he stepped onto the gridiron, Little has been playing mostly in the position of wide receiver, with some play time as a cornerback. His father was a roverback, which although not a position much heard of any more, was sort of a cross between a linebacker and a defensive back. In the seventh grade, Little didn’t see much time on the field. Last year, he was a starter at wide receiver but laments the team was not a passing team; therefore he didn’t have a lot of catches. But there was this one play Little remembers well. “I only caught one pass and had one touchdown. It was on that pass. It wasn’t even thrown by the quarterback,” he says, laughing. The last two seasons, Little has chalked up to learning experiences. He is looking forward to this freshman year and new opportunities to advance with the sport. He sees his strengths in football as his running game and ability to catch. Some of that same talent must translate to the baseball field for Little, too. Usually, Little can be found in one of two positions on the baseball field. He prefers shortstop but has spent a good bit of time in left field. Catching and running seem to be his forte in both sports. He missed an opportunity to play this past spring for Brookstone since there were not enough eighth-graders to field a team. Part of his plan for his freshman year includes trying out for the junior varsity baseball team. He shouldn’t have too much of a problem since he played summer ball for the Cougars prior to the start of school. Little has an engaging nature and always seems to be smiling or quick to laugh. Behind that easy-going demeanor is an analytical mind that is able to process advanced mathematics and read a defense on the football field. Be-
August / September 2015
ing basically an “A” student and having a newfound passion for football, Little hopes this year to use his intellect to master higher mathematic classes and become more proficient in the technical aspects of the game. His plans beyond ninth grade aren’t clear yet. He does know he is looking forward to playing football throughout high school. Already, he has learned he values being a part of the Brookstone athletic program, and not just for the chance to play a sport. “The coaches are serious about academics. If you need extra help in something, and it causes you to be late to practice, there is no penalty for that. It’s about academics first; then athletics,” Little says. In Little’s perspective, the coaches are as much a part of the team as the individual players. For him, it just affirms that the team is like a family, where everyone has a role and looks out for one another. ITG
“There are three main football values (at Brookstone). Character of the individual, academics, and how the coaches develop athletic abilities,� Little says.
August / September 2015
In the Game
29
TEN QUESTIONS WITH
GARY PHILLIPS
Executive Director, Georgia High School Association by Beth Welch photo courtesy of GHSA
The first football games of the 2015 season will begin in the next few weeks. Coaches, athletic personnel, and state high school officials were at work long before the season began to prepare players to play a safer sport this season. A lot of discussions about athletic safety have involved the topic of concussions. In order to get the latest information about concussion management for high school athletes, In The Game High School Sports Magazine asked the executive director of the Georgia High School Association (GHSA), Gary Phillips, a few questions about the issue, as well as about the GHSA and his role as the leader of the organization. In The Game: How long have you been Executive Director of the Georgia High School Association? Gary Phillips: Since July 1, 2014
better informed—and we know more in the area of recovery and risk management. While the problem will never go away, athletes are better protected.
ITG: Do you have a sports or coaching background? GP: I played several sports in high school and college. I coached a number of sports in my teaching career; football, track mostly— also coached cross country, wrestling (one year) and golf (six years). Overall, I coached for 17 years before entering school administration.
ITG: Does the GHSA have any stats relating to the number of concussion injuries suffered by high school athletes in Georgia in recent years? GP: We do not collect or catalogue injuries through our offices.
ITG: How many high schools are served by the GHSA? GP: 455 ITG: What sports are recognized or sanctioned by the GHSA? GP: We recognize 23 sports, 12 women’s and 11 men’s sports. ITG: Concussions have gained a lot of attention in recent years when discussing sportsrelated injuries among high school athletes. In your opinion, why has there been a focus on concussion injuries? GP: Concussions moved to the forefront of athletic conversations largely with the publicity coming from debilitating physical and mental conditions of ex-professional football players. The NFL opened the conversations in this issue, and all levels of athletics have joined the discussions. As the topic evolved, more research and more exhaustive data has emerged to present a clearer picture of the causes and effects of concussion in sports. We have learned football is not the only sport with concerns for concussion; the injury is a part of the negatives in almost every form of competition and at almost all levels. Increased education and public awareness contribute greatly to what we know in comparison to years past. Athletes are better informed; parents, coaches, and others are
ITG: What steps has the GHSA taken to help coaches and athletic personnel identify concussion injuries and assist in concussion management? GP: The GHSA has adopted “concussion protocols and return to play regulations” for injured athletes. All GHSA coaches are required to receive concussion education at least every two years. Coaches are required to view a web-based video produced by the NFHS on “Concussion in Sport.” ITG: Are there any new developments in concussion injury management that will go into effect for the 2015-16 athletic school year? GP: We implemented our requirements three years ago. Our latest injury management policy comes in regulations limiting the amount of time football players can be involved in full contact activities each day and each week. ITG: What are the basic GHSA guidelines or policies regarding concussion injury for high school athletes? GP: Our football contact regulations limit these activities to 30 minutes per day; 90 minutes per week in the regular season. Our “return to play” regulations are detailed in our constitution and by-laws. ITG: What is the best thing about being the executive director of the Georgia High School Association?
Gary Phillips Job Title Executive Director, Georgia High School Association Hometown Peachtree City, Georgia Education BS in Ed, Maryville College (Tennessee); MEd, Georgia State University; Ed.S., University of West Georgia Family Barbara (wife), retired teacher and nurse; Bart (son); Katy (daughter-in-law); Payne (5) and Brynn (2) (Grandchildren) Hobbies/Leisure activities Golf; working my yard Person/people you most admire My dad (Claude Phillips) and my high school coaches
GP: I find the vast activities of the GHSA to be challenging each and every day. I began my education career in athletics. Later I spent 17 years in school administration, and now I have the opportunity to return to my roots, so to speak, by being involved at this level in all facets of high school athletics. August / September 2015
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by Beth Welch photos by Jerry Christenson
“I love the look of people’s faces when they see me do the flips or difficult tumbling. I am like, yeah, I am the one who did that.”
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August / September 2015
SHAW HIGH SCHOOL
BRIANA GRIER Athlete takes the “leading” in cheerleading to heart
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ven though she is Shaw High School’s new competition cheer coach, this isn’t Marsha Oates first rodeo. She has had experience coaching teams in the past and discerned very quickly the qualities of a born leader in Briana Grier during the team’s first meeting. “She is a good athlete and has a great attitude. I knew she would be the captain of the team right away,” Oates says. Grier, 17, a senior at Shaw, has been a member of the Raiders competition cheer team since coming to the school as a freshman. The 5’1” athlete has been a flyer, base, and back spot in competitive cheerleading, but maybe her most admirable position has been that of a leader. For Grier, it just seems to come natural to want to promote others and provide guidance. The oldest of four children, her three younger siblings are boys, ages 11, 8, and 8 months. She spends a lot of time helping her mother with their care and has a sense of maturity beyond her years. When asked if she has enhanced her cheerleading voice by yelling at her brothers, Grier demonstrates a quick sense of humor. “I do. I have to be the oldest around here, and I’m telling them to do their chores and they say they don’t want to. So I remind them I don’t want to be watching you guys; but I don’t have a choice and neither do you,” she says, laughing. Grier takes the role of big sister seriously. She also takes competition cheerleading seriously. Like most high school cheerleaders, Grier started out cheering for a community football team as a young
girl. She had played soccer but gave it up after she discovered cheerleading. Around the age of ten, she started taking lessons at United Cheer Gym in Columbus. That led Grier to being exposed to competition cheerleading, which involved learning difficult tumbling skills. “The minute I came into United, they told me I was going to be a flyer. I was like, what does that mean? Now I am a Level 4,” she says. Being a part of the cheer program at United gave Grier an opportunity to travel on a team for competitions and grow into her plan to be a part of a high school team. She left the cheer gym team when she came to Shaw because she wanted to focus on being a part of the Raiders’ competition team. With her background of tumbling, Grier has mastered some of the techniques necessary for a cheer athlete to participate on a competition team. At this point, the greatest degree of difficulty in tumbling she can perform is a round off back handspring (back handspring again) lay out. For the uninformed, it definitely looks a lot easier than it actually is to pull off. Grier is now working on nailing down her “full” but thinks her best tumbling skill is her “tuck.” As far as what she enjoys most about the two-and-a-half minute routine filled with stunts, jumps and tumbling each team must perfect in order to do well in competitions, Grier doesn’t hesitate. “Dance,” she says with a smile. Mentioning dance in a conversation about cheerleading may further the notion that competition cheer is not really a sport. Grier understands many
people only know about the cheerleader on the sidelines of a football game and have never been exposed to competitive cheerleading. “I would just say come try out. We work as hard as other athletes. We work out. We condition. We get serious injuries doing this, but most people think of cheerleaders they see at games and, not to take away anything from them, because I have done that, competition cheerleading is more highly skilled and complicated,” she says. Being a part of the competition cheer team at Shaw is not Grier’s only activity outside of academics. She is a member of the school’s ROTC program and has proven herself to be a leader there, too. She just made First Sergeant and has been given charge of her company. Grier is planning on using those two avenues to pursue a college education. She hopes to try out for a college cheer team but is secure in her plans to use the ROTC experience to get into a nursing program. After that, the Honor Roll student would like to move into pre-med with her eyes on becoming an anesthesiologist. Right now, Grier is looking forward to a new cheer season with a new coach and some experienced cheer athletes to help advance her team. Being the leader that she is, Grier sees this fall as an opportunity for the squad to develop into winners. “I believe that we have a lot of girls who are new here, but they have a lot of potential. I believe we can work them into being what we need them to be and that is to be excellent,” she says. ITG August / September 2015
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by Beth Welch photos by Jerry Christenson Peterson hasn’t made a decision about where he will attend high school next fall. He is a part of the International Baccalaureate Programme at Richards and chose to attend the school for that reason. His biggest smile comes when asked if his mom has her own version of ‘no pass, no play’ rule at home. “She sure does. She always is asking me about my school work. She’s a single parent, and I don’t want to do anything to add any more stress to her life, so I try to work hard and keep my grades up.”
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August / September 2015
RICHARDS MIDDLE SCHOOL
RAYTREVIUS PETERSON Championship win gives football athlete desire for repeat victory
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aytrevius Peterson finds it a little hard to describe the feeling when his team won the Muscogee County Middle School City Championship last year. Not one to spend much effort on talking, Peterson, 13, however, does come up with one word to sum up the experience. “Awesome,” he says, smiling broadly. The Richards Middle School football team won the championship defeating East Columbus Magnet Academy in the finals in December. It was a sweet victory for Peterson for several reasons, including the fact that his cousin was a coach for ECMA team. “He had them kind of focused on me. I like embarrassing people out there and it was good when we got the win,” Peterson says. The championship game sealed an undefeated season for the Warriors. Peterson was the starting running back for Richards the entire season and saw a lot of playing time heading into the playoffs. He might not expend much energy in conversation, but the 5’5” 126-pound athlete seems to be nothing but energy and action on the gridiron. “He’s quick. That’s for sure,” says Richards head football coach Jonathon Burton, who has only been the head football coach at the school for a little over a year. A prime example of the young athlete’s talent was the Warriors game against Veterans Memorial Middle School last fall. Peterson rushed for over 200 yards and racked up four touchdowns before the final score put Richards in the winner’s column. “It was definitely his break-out game. He played every game for us and was at cornerback on the defense at times, but that game was his best,” says Burton. Although Peterson has been playing foot-
ball since the age of seven when he began with the Columbus Youth Football league, he only began playing football at Richards in the seventh grade. With the agility and speed of a natural running back, it is a little surprising as to the reason Peterson deliberately waited a year before trying out for the team. “I just didn’t have a lot of confidence in myself. Playing in CYF is really different than in middle school. When you get here, they don’t just give you a spot. You have to go after it, and I just didn’t think I could make it,” he says. Possessing a somewhat quiet and reserved personality, Peterson credits his mother with instilling in him the courage to try out for football. Not wanting to disappoint her, he was nevertheless a little apprehensive about the tryouts but says he felt comfortable once he got on the field. According to Coach Burton, Peterson is a coach’s dream athlete. “He’s what we all want to see out here. He will do whatever you tell him and do it well. He never stops. He never complains. He’s smart and very capable. He has talent and ability, but he is willing to do whatever it takes for the team. One of the best things about his football talent is he has great vision,” says Burton. Adding, “He is able to see blocks and plays before they even develop. He is also a young man who is serious about his craft and strives to be better daily; but being coachable and doing the little things that count, his maturity level is an asset as well.” Peterson was a two-sport athlete for his seventh-grade year. He played football the first semester and was a track and field athlete during the second semester. It was his first endeavor running track as a member of the Warriors’ 4x100 meter and 4x400 meter
According to Coach Burton, Peterson ran the 40-yard dash at a Future Stars Camp last year with a time of 4.9 seconds. Burton says the Richards athlete has improved his time since the 2015 track season and should be even faster on the field this fall.
relay teams. Running second leg in both events, Peterson gained more discipline as a runner and views that experience as an opportunity to stay in shape for football. The season for middle school football begins in October, and the potential for the Warriors to make another run at the citywide championship looks good. Burton lost his quarterback to high school and has plans to use Peterson in that position some, but will most likely utilize the speedster once again as his primary running back. It is Peterson’s favorite position to play, but he admits he just wants to be out on the field wherever the coaches tell him to go. He is looking for some sixth-graders to rise to the occasion, fill in the blanks made by the loss of every starter on the team other than Peterson, and help the effort to go back the winner’s circle one more time. Asked if he thinks another championship trophy could be in the works for RMS, Peterson once again puts his thoughts into simple wording. “I know we can,” he says. ITG
August / September 2015
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