Football is a big part of College Park, everyone flocks to Woodforest Stadium to see this amazing game be played. The snap of the ball, the roar of the crowd as a player makes the run to the end zone, the band playing their marching tunes, all of it to make a memorable experience. But what about before that first snap? What about all the hard work and dedication to get there?

  For those who go and watch the games, football starts in late August, but for the players, it starts right away at the beginning of summer. Just the pre-season itself is incredible.

  “Pre-season is straight work. You have to give it your all at every practice,” Cole Smith, safety on varsity, said.

The  football players enroll in strength and conditioning camp along with summer football practice in the 100 plus degree Texas summer. It’s in this heat that the players are molded into athletes.

“It’s lots of lifting, making sure your diet is right, and making sure to get your footing down,” Smith said.

Footing is especially important now due to the new turf field at College Park. All of our football teams practice on it, and you can watch our freshman and JV teams play on it.

“I really like the new turf field, besides the skin boiling heat when you have to take a knee, ” Jared Williams, JV-A defensive end, said.

The turf field isn’t the only thing we welcomed here at College Park, we also have a new coach, Jason Thomas, who came to CP from Dallas. He’s an ambitious and inspiring coach who hopes to have an amazing playoff run and make it to district championships. Sadly, we will also be losing a member of the coaching staff after this year, Coach Guiton, as he will be retiring. Coach Guiton is loved by everyone at our school, and brightens everyone’s day, whether that be on the field or in the hallways.

“He always knows how to make you smile, even if you’re having the worst day” Smith said.

As I listened to each player tell me about their memories with Coach Guiton, it is clear to see how much of an impact the coaches have on their players. And that isn’t any coincidence. As our head football coach, Coach Madison, says, that’s one of the main reasons he chose to become a coach: to have that interaction with his players, to see them evolve from freshman to seniors, and to see the maturity and growth of each player.

 “Football is not an easy sport, very demanding, mentally and physically, but very rewarding in the end,” Coach Madison said.

This is evident as many of our players have improved immensely from their freshman year. Both physically, but also with their knowledge of the game. Every single one of our players has put their all into getting to the position they are at currently. More than just touchdowns and interceptions, more than just playoffs and championships, it’s about that million dollar question: how badly do you want it? How much work are you willing to put in? How many hours spent running routes, sweating in the heavy heat, watching footage, drill after drill, practice after practice? It’s that drive and lessons learned from our amazing football staff that these players will carry with them throughout the rest of their lives.

“I wish people knew how dedicated all the players are to the team,” Jared Williams said.

Each player has their own viewpoints on all the work put in during pre season but it all amounts to the same message. Each player has their own reasons to play. Some might see it as a form of therapy, a way to escape whatever they’re going through. A clear point A to point B goal, while others may have joined due to previous family members playing, or even just from developing an interest by watching highlights. To the coaches however, it’s something different. To them it’s an evolution. To see the young boys that first started turn into young men. The evolution of a team, a brotherhood. 

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