High school football players, what makes them tick?
MADISON – Most elite high school football players have a core motivation, an inner reason why they do what they do in the sport they love. Many coaches try and tap into those motivations and ask what makes that player tick?
Many players really can’t answer that question as their motivations to push towards their dreams or goals are just within their own mental makeup and come out naturally. Meanwhile, others see and feel their moving gears of motivation. An example of such a motivated player is senior Brayson Albin of Bob Jones who is the No. 4 rated long snapper in the country and is entertaining a bevy of college offers from many of the top schools in the country, but he knows his craft has to be perfected to earn a scholarship and what inner-motivations make him tick.
“I’ve been selected as one of two long snappers in the country to play in the Polynesian Bowl scheduled to be played in Hawaii on Jan. 15 and that is an example of what drives me to excel at my long snapping craft,” said the 6-foot-3 senior who also plays tight end for the Patriots. “I live right behind the school and my father and me go over three, four times a week and practice my craft to try and be the best snapper I can be. I put a lot of time into that. My dad is one who never lets me settle for just OK. He pushes me to be that perfection I look for.”
Isaac Jeffrey (LB, 5-10, 210, Sr.) who is nicknamed “Hulk” as returning linebacker at Sparkman knows his tick mechanism is being prepared at all times. After practices he many times will go straight to a cross-fit workout to build his endurance more than he already has as a senior member of the Senators. He added, “I used to play basketball and I do play video games away from football, but now I focus on football and nothing but football. My leadership on the team is most important as we have a lot of skills, all we need is leadership and execution to be great this season. That drives me to be the best.”
Committed to attend The Citadel where he plans on studying mechanical engineering and undecided if will make the military a career, 6-foot-2, 278-pound Malikai Cooper is expected to lead the James Clemens offense as a member of the offensive line. “My motivation is one of being the best and lead our team,” said Cooper, a Second-Team All-State selection, four-year starter for the Jets and a massive athlete who also wrestles for the James Clemens wrestling program. “I think the most important thing for me and the remainder of our team is accountability when it comes to winning. We have to play together as when we make mistakes, we have to own up to our mistakes.”
“My reality of what motivates me is looking in the mirror knowing I can make my body better and that drives me to go the gym more so I can always look in the mirror and see that I’m trying to make myself better so I can lead this team,” said Sparkman offensive lineman Walter Pruitt, who carries the nickname “Big Walt,” who stands 6-foot and tips the scales at 280 pounds, carries a 4.3 grade point average and is looking to attend college to study in the area of the medical field or in engineering.
Being the only player remaining who played on the Madison Academy Mustangs’ last state championship game appearance three years ago has caused senior offensive and defensive lineman Slate Glover (OL-DL, 6-2, 192, Sr.) to take a stand and lead the 2026 version of the Mustangs like he has never before experienced. “What we’ve done the last couple of years is not enough as we need to go past the second round of the playoffs. Our team is more mature, I’m more mature and I hope those facts make us better. All of that drives me to win in my senior season.”
“I want to be good. There’s no other way about it,” said Myles Yarbrough (DB, 6-1, 170, Sr.) starting defensive back for James Clemens. “I’ve motivated myself inside my own soul to be better and makes this team much better than we’ve played the last couple of years. I get my values from my family, my friends and those around me.” Yarbrough is a long jumper for the school’s track team, carries a 4.5 grade point average and is looking to attend an Ivy League school upon his graduating in 2027.
Personal values and everyday passions drive who a high school athlete is within their own identity, but knowing what makes each of them tick is sometimes only known to the athlete and no one else.
