Back Page Programs: 1a to 3a schools often overlooked by media.
Antonio Morano
Back Page Programs: 1a to 3a schools often overlooked by media.
Posted September 2, 2008
By Mario Ochoa
Summer in South Texas, to sports fans, represents nothing more than a countdown for the upcoming football season’s inaugural kick off. From the smallest high school level to the full-fledged professionals, nothing gets Texans fired up quite like the promise of the pigskin on the gridiron.
The lack of a local NFL or Division I football program means San Antonio football fans focus their fervor on the smaller - but no less exciting - high school football programs. Storied teams like Judson and Roosevelt become frequent conversation topics, just like new powerhouses such as Reagan and Steele. Despite the geographic boundaries that separate these institutions, they share one kindred attribute: the players. Each school is dedicated to graduating the finest student athletes in the area. Yet some schools do so without the same glitz and glamour of the larger programs.
Names like Universal City and Navarro might not immediately bring to mind the much-publicized traditions of their larger counterparts, yet they represent the very same ideals of their bigger brothers: inspiration, education and victory. These smaller schools simply do it more quietly and without the fanfare dedicated to the widely-covered 4A and 5A programs.
Does this mean the quality of talent doesn’t compare to the larger programs? Or that the students and parents are less enthusiastic? Or that the talented student-athletes are destined to miss out on college scholarships?
Of course not says Navarro High School assistant football coach Brent Mora.
“There is a great deal of talent at the lower classifications and private schools,” he says. “A couple of years ago Randolph High School had a running back by the name of Zach Collins, and he could have started for any 4A or 5A team in the area. Antonian College Prep had a defensive end/tight end that was 6’9” and he could have started at any 5A school in the area. He was also a very good basketball player. One big difference when it comes to 4A and 5A schools is that they have more athletes in their program.”
Mora, a lifelong athlete and former Antonian football player – a TAPPS league school – understands the dynamics of high school athletics, and that media coverage is often graded towards the exploits of the bigger, better-known establishments.
“Take the San Antonio Express-News for example,” he explains. “The sports page will have several large articles on the NEISD and NISD schools with pictures. Then there will be one page that has three-sentence-long articles on all of the small schools in the area.”
The discrepancy is large, but Mora explained that the benefit of working with athletes outside of the public glare has its own advantages. “The good thing about being a great athlete at a smaller school is that you are a standout rather than being mixed in the crowd”
Therein lays the appeal of playing on a smaller field, so to speak: a greater opportunity to stand out. That means athletes often enjoy more time playing the sports they love without sacrificing minutes to deeper depth charts. Fans also candidly get to know the players who take the field each week, creating an air of community that is second to none.
While the papers and news stations may be slow to catch on, it doesn’t faze coaches like Mora. He’s content outside of the spotlight, passionately teaching more than long snap counts and pass routes. Utilizing sports, his profession teaches kids to excel as tomorrow's leaders.
“Working with young student athletes is an awesome thing,” he says. “We are working with the future leaders of this country. You get to watch these athletes grow up and become good young men and women. The fact that you are having a positive impact on these kids’ lives is truly a blessing. Some of these athletes need a release from their everyday lives and sports give them that. There is no other feeling like it.”
Still, some players are looking to move up a level and compete at the collegiate and possibly pro level. For them, Mora recommends several strategies, each designed to promote his or her talents within environments that are often overlooked.
“I tell my kids, ‘if you really want to play you need to consider the DII, DIII, and JUCO programs.’” He says. “’If you are a good athlete someone is going to want you to be a part of their program. Many high schools will make highlight films for players, and this is a great way to be recognized. All it takes is a coach to pick up the phone, call a few schools, and they can either send them a film or the school will send a recruiter down to speak with the athlete.’”
“An example of an athlete getting recognized through a highlight film is Tom Wort from New Braunfels High School,” he adds. “This kid is the real deal. If you go to YouTube and type in his name you will see how good he is. Some schools got hold of his film and started to recruit him. He has already verbally committed to OU during his junior year. One more piece of advice is go to as many football camps as you can. Colleges hold camps that specialize in your position, and they teach athletes how to improve their fundamentals, which is what many college recruiters look for.”
This season, players throughout the area are playing for much more than the right to be on the winning end of the scoreboard. They are preparing for a life of success and leadership. For coaches and educators, the goal of enriching and empowering young minds will never change, no matter what field you're on. And these athletes at smaller schools share the same drive, passion and abilities of those at their larger brethren; which means the games are just as intense and exciting – just ask the fans.
