As the new school year starts up, new Freshmen enter the building and new athletic careers take bloom. For the Dubs football team, it means new faces, or mostly old as most of these rookie players from Sutton Middle School have been with the team all summer. Through long grueling practices and lifts during the blistering summer heat, they have been putting in the work. For many of these first year student-athletes the workload on top of football is going to be a struggle, for a few it might mean having to study for the first time in their lives. This new journey will also give the newcomers physical challenges on the field. Being a dub isn’t like being a cougar, being a dub means being a Warrior.
This school year so far is shaping up to be an uphill battle for the class of 2028. Many of these first-year high school students are grappling with tougher classes, a new bell schedule, and an unfamiliar school environment. It’s no surprise that many of these student-athletes will be spending countless late nights grinding through their schoolwork. When asked about their early days on campus and how they’re balancing school and football, some of the former Cougars, now newly minted Dub football players were facing the same obstacles, “Having football and school together in high school has definitely been tough. I’ve had to stay up late a few nights after practice just to get my homework done,” said sophomore cornerback Bryce “Young Bull” Willingham.
Now when it comes to playing football for these young stars it can be a whole new game. Most of these Freshmen are 14 years old which means they are 2-3 years younger than a lot of people on their own team as well as their opponents. This has set them up for a few so-called “Welcome to high school football” moments. Some welcome to high school football moments are more eye-opening than others, “At my first padded camp this year I was playing safety when I met a big running back in the hole and got absolutely laid out.” Said freshman safety Kenneth Rhone.
When you think about warrior football you think about the trenches- the offensive and defensive line going at it all practice long. For one particular freshman, practice is a little more intense. Sophomore offensive tackle Javier Rivera (Much like anyone else) has his work cut out for him when blocking 4-star d-linemen Chase Linton. Most of these former Cougars like Javier were used to being a big fish in a tiny pond, so having to adjust to the opposite role can’t be easy for them. “When I go out on scout team offense, Chase is always lined up on me and sometimes I just simply can’t stop him, he’s that good,” said Rivera.
Although these recent additions from Sutton Middle School will face their share of struggles, their future as Dubs looks promising. These newbies aren’t just adjusting, they’re adapting, learning, and growing with every challenge they face. With time, they’ll not only represent the shield and sword but they’ll define what it means to wield them.
