Senior inside linebacker Aaron Reck’s high school football career has been a rollercoaster, to say the least.  With a number of reoccurring knee injuries, Reck has gone through a great deal of adversity to be on the field.

Linebacker Aaron Reck plays at the Coppell vs. Keller game with his braces placed on both knees. Photo by Rowan Khazendar.

Originally, this story was heading in a different direction.  This was going to be a story about Reck’s optimistic attitude amidst the difficult fact that he was not going to be able to play his senior season due to injury.  However, fortunately for Reck, this story – as well as his own – has taken a turn for the better.

Just any inside linebacker has, he has endured his share of injuries.  However, Reck has re-injured his right knee approximately 10 times.  His reoccurring injury was a kneecap that repeatedly popped out of socket.  At the end of his sophomore season, Reck underwent surgery to fix the problem on his right knee.  Unfortunately, the surgery was relatively ineffective.

“When I had my surgery, I was really hopeful that the problem would be permanently fixed,” Reck said.  “However, my growth plates were still open.  Because of that, the right knee continued to get hurt.”

Reck, determined to persevere through the injury to play his senior season and did all he could to rehabilitate his right leg.

“Because I had hurt it so many times, I had been to a lot of physical therapy and learned a lot of therapeutic exercises,” Reck said. “By the time I hurt it this year, I just used what I already knew and rehabbed it on my own.”

Reck dedicated himself to getting better in order to play.  By going up to the track and running in the evenings after practices, practicing running and cutting and consistently doing the exercises to improve the strength and flexibility, Reck put forth 100 percent in order to get back on to the field.

Soon after being cleared to play again, Reck injured his other knee for the first time.  “Disappointed” is not a strong enough word to describe the emotions he felt soon after.

“I was angry, honestly,” Reck said. “I really thought I was done.  The doctor said there was basically no chance I could play for the rest of the season.  After all I had done, I was crushed.”

Many friends felt the same way for him.

“I felt awful for him,” senior offensive lineman Jake Williams said. “I know he did so much to get better.  We were all hoping for the best.”

Aaron’s sister Annie Reck, a junior at CHS, had her own sympathy for her brother.

“After all the time and effort he put forth to get better, it was really rough.  It was a solemn few days at our house,” Annie said.

But all hope was not lost.  The report from the doctor was quite different than expected.

“I thought I was done, but the doctor told me I had the option of playing with braces on each leg.  While he did advise against this, I figured I would take my chances with double braces,” Aaron said.

This news from the doctor, met with a bold response by Aaron, has resulted in a fantastic opportunity for him to be a fantastic contributor at middle linebacker for the remainder of his senior season.

Juniors Luke Jenner and Jason Lister remember their friend Jha’Kyric on and off the field. Photo by Jodie Woodward

Tragedy often has the greatest influence on those who are immediately impacted.  For Coppell football players Luke Jenner and Jason Lister, the tragic death of good friend Jha’Kyric Nixon has become their inspiration and motivation on the football field.

Coppell resident Jha’Kyric Nixon, 17, died July 29 in a drowning accident at a Lewisville Lake birthday party.  Unfortunately, over 100 people – the vast majority students at Coppell High – were present as attendees of the birthday party. Nixon was planning to transfer to CHS from the Carrollton-Farmers Branch School District.

Everyone who knew Nixon was positively impacted by his vivacious personality, clever jokes, and caring spirit.  It undoubtedly takes a special person to connect a community and form a bond among friends the way that Nixon did.

Coppell juniors, running back Luke Jenner and wide receiver Jason Lister, considered Nixon a best friend.  Needless to say, the reverberations of Nixon’s passing were felt greatly by the Coppell community.  As with any death, the grief and shock felt soon after was abundant. Friends and family say Nixon’s personal faith provides great assurance and encouragement as to the his eternal destination.

Jenner and Lister chose not to dwell in their grief, but instead, took heart.  They have both channeled their emotions as positive motivation in their lives – and especially on the gridiron.

Nixon serves as an inspiration, causing in his friends a great will to win and will to succeed for his sake. Nixon was hoping to play basketball for CHS and eventually at Oregon State.

Jenner and Lister are both making great strides on the football field.  Jenner, a first year starter, has rushed for over 800 yards and eight touchdowns through the first seven games of the season.  It is clear that Jenner’s explosive play in his first season is rooted in motivation that stems from something deeper than just football.

“Jha’Kyric was an athlete.  He constantly worked so hard.” Jenner said. “He took full advantage of the time he had to progress as the athlete he wanted to be.  Now, since he isn’t here, I feel called to work twice as hard as before.”

Lister, a starter since his sophomore season, grabbed his first touchdown of the year against the Saginaw Roughriders, to go along with 13 catches through the first seven games.  He too has a new approach to both football and life in general.

“One thing I realized through Jha’Kyric’s passing was that you never know if today will be your last day,” Lister said.  “I want to live every day – and play every game – as if it were my last.”

Other players have similar views on the situation.

“This has really opened a lot of people’s eyes about how fragile life is,” junior Alex Kulig said.

Jenner and Lister each considered Nixon as not just a friend, but a brother.  Both players agree that there is a strengthened brotherhood within the Coppell football team.  Jenner and Lister, close friends themselves, are forced to rely on others.

With difficult games, including a very good Keller Central team, on the upcoming schedule for the Cowboys, the team will have to play inspired football in order to come away victorious.  Now more than ever, many players are able to effortlessly find a source of inspiration through their close friend who no longer is in the stands rooting them on.

“I do it for him.  I play for him,” Lister said.  “He always told me he would be here watching me.  Before every game I picture him up in the stands cheering me on.  It’s a great feeling to know he has a better seat for watching the game now than anyone in the stands does.”

Jenner approaches his games in his own way.

“I pray before every game.  I pray that I’ll make God proud, and in addition that I’ll make Jha’Kyric proud.  I miss my friend – and I always will – but I work hard and keep pressing on,” Jenner said.

It is this sense of diligence, commitment and inspiration – resulting from a love for a friend no longer here – that Jenner, Lister and the Cowboys are using to hopefully make this a season to remember.

Staff Writer

With the school year slowly but surely coming to an end, there are many students that can’t wait for the month of May to come.  However, for those who are on Coppell’s varsity football team the month of May brings the unbearable spring practices. Though many players can’t stand the treacherous practices, they are an extremely important prelim before the season starts. Head football coach, Joe McBride, runs these practices and keeps all the players and coaches in tip top shape and ready for the 2011 season.  After last season’s tragic playoff loss to Trinity, McBride is determined to strive for perfection and excellence with all of his players behind him. Following Coppell’s greatest season ever, the players and coaches are still not satisfied with coming up short on their road to state. This makes the expectations for next season very high with the ultimate goal of being crowned state champions.

Entertainment Editor

Yes, the rumors are true. The Coppell Cowboys varsity football team defeated Midland and now move on to the fourth round of the playoffs.

While the elation leftover from the staggering win beings to wear off, it’s time for everyone to look toward the next match-up, against the undefeated and nationally ranked Trinity Trojans on Friday Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m. at Dragon Stadium in Carroll. Everyone knows the other team: Trinity has claimed the 5A Division I State Championship three out of the last five years, including last year. What not everyone may know is the stadium situation.

For our playoff game, the coaches of both teams met and flipped a coin to decide who would get to choose the stadium to play in. Trinity won and decided to have the game at Southlake. Ordinarily, this would not be a big deal. However, this game is expected to have an attendance upward of 20,000 and the stadium only seats about 12,000 people. Herein lies the problem. While the stadium is conveniently close, only about a 20 minute drive, only fraction of the fans will be able to attend.

So if you are a Coppell Cowboys fan and you are hoping to come to the game on Friday night, make sure you pick up tickets in advance at the CHS field house. Adult tickets cost $10, students cost $8. Get them quickly because they’re sure to sell out soon.

For more info, visit: http://www.coppellcowboys.com/

This week’s football game against Denton Guyer high school is the biggest game of the season. The wildcats are expected to be the most intimidating challengers for the cowboys and Coppell will need all the support they can get to pull out a win.

In order to get the school pumped up for this Friday there is going to be an indoor pep-rally. The theme is decades since Coppell will try to blast Denton Guyer to the past.

The pep-rally will include performances from each decade, 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, by the Coppell Cheerleaders. The Larriettes will be performing a hip-hop dance and the band will play inspirational music. There will be speeches by the varsity captains from the football team.

The pep-rally should gain school wide support for the football players as they go against this year’s enemies.

Help out your team CHS and join in on the fun at the pep-rally and dress your decade.

Last Friday night the Coppell Cowboys took on the Mesquite Horn Jaguars and had a fierce round-up of 13-0. During halftime the Coppell High School marching band  preformed their show: Life Americana part I, Jubilee and shows great signs of of developing into a killer show this season. This year the band also plans to create a bigger visual for the audience by bringing in props, Coppell directors are trying to keep them under wraps, so there is no mention of what the props will possibly be. As for the Coppell Color Guard they performed wonderfully; they have some areas that need improvement, but under the direction of James Thomas, anything is possible!

Religion, no matter the creed, has the tendency to become entwined in all areas of life, from politics to personal finances.

The same holds true for athletics, where faith plays an integral role in a number of things, from strengthening the believer to shaping his or her priorities.

The Lariettes huddle around senior Shelby Samuel to recite a pryer before the Arlington game on Nov. 28. (Photo by Katie Quill)

The following stories highlight a number of ways religion affects athletes on the playing field.

Strength

As Coppell’s running back, junior Cam McDaniel embodies physical strength: with a max bench press of 215 pounds and a 40-yard dash of 4.53 seconds, he can run around—or through—just about anyone on the football field.

That’s not what makes him strong, though.

“God and his Word are my bread of life,” McDaniel said. “Just as people can’t go long without food, the spirit can’t either—God’s Word helps me get through the day.”

Although you wouldn’t know it from the stands, McDaniel is a devout evangelical Christian. He uses his faith and the message of the Bible as a motivator.

“Old Testament characters inspire me,” McDaniel said. “Men like Joseph, who went from being a slave to being the second-hand man in all of Egypt. It just shows that if you believe that all things are possible through God, amazing things can happen.”

The results of McDaniel’s faith are visible, both on Friday nights at Buddy Echols Stadium as well as every day in the halls during the school year.

Needless to say, he attracts the attention and commands the respect of his teammates through his actions.

On the right is senior defensive lineman Naveed Amirhelzmat, one of the only Muslim studnets on the football team, plays against Arlington. (Photo by Katie Quill)

“Cam strengthens himself by reading verses,” senior defensive lineman Naveed Amirhekmat said. “His faith is really solid—it helps him never give up on the field.”

McDaniel is just one of many athletes using faith as a guide and source of strength.

Junior Danielle Herubin plays midfield on the varsity soccer team and club team, the D’Feeters.

Herubin, a Roman Catholic, uses prayer to settle herself “when she’s nervous,” but thinks that prayer—and faith—are more effective when practiced as a team.

“[My team] plays for each other and for God, and we try not to get wrapped up in worldly stuff,” Herubin said.

Herubin’s club team prays before games, beginning with a team-specific prayer and following up with a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer.

Non-Christians also use prayer as a source of strength.

“Usually after warm-ups I go to the corner of the field to talk to God and say a few verses just like any other Christian would do,” Amirhekmat said.

Sacrifice

Senior and proud Muslim Reihaneh Hajibeigi (right) of the Dallas Texans fights with an opponent for the ball. (Photo courtesy Reihaneh Hajibeigi)

Senior Reihaneh Hajibeigi strikes a unique figure on the soccer field when she plays with her club team, the Dallas Texans.

As other girls mill around on the field, their exposed arms and legs slicked with sweat from the 100-degree Texas heat, Hajibeigi is mostly concealed by the hijab, or headscarf, and long sleeves of the conservative Muslim faith.

Hajibeigi chooses to dress modestly in public because Islam dictates women should veil all but their face and hands in the presence of possible husbands.

“A lot of people see the hijab as a sign of oppression, but it’s really not,” Hajibeigi said. “Nowhere in Islam does it say to cover the whole body with a burqa. The hijab is a sign of respect for my religion and nothing else.”

On the soccer field, though, and in oftentimes sweltering heat, some referees have told Hajibeigi to remove her headscarf and sleeves for safety reasons.

For Hajibeigi, this is an unacceptable solution.

“It does get hot, but taking it off is not an option,” Hajibeigi said. “It is painful—I’ve gone to tournaments where it’s 102, 103 degrees—but the value I get from it is worth a lot more.”

Hajibeigi sacrifices even more during the month of Ramadan, a time of fasting and self-restraint which occurs on the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar.

Ramadan, which requires Muslims to forgo food and drink from sunup to sundown, presents a peculiar problem to Muslim athletes like Hajibeigi and Amirhekmat.

Just like with the hijab, however, there is a general consensus that tradition is too important to be overridden.

“Ramadan is a month of self-actualization to make changes,” Hajibeigi said. “It’s more than just closing your mouth and not eating for the day.”

Their decision, however, comes with the deadly serious risks of dehydration and fatigue.

“When we played against Highland Park, by halftime I was so tired I got confused about where I was,” Amirhekmat said.

With these risks in mind, coaches often strike deals with their Muslim players.

“[Reihaneh and I] have an understanding,” Dallas Texans coach Jimmy Lankford said. “She does play, but she’ll dehydrate quickly. It’s tough on her, so we limit the time she can be out on the field.”

Outreach                                                       

Many athletes have come to see their sport not only as a presentation of their physical abilities but also of their character. Seeing themselves as representatives of their respected faith, they place themselves in positions where their actions can be seen—and hopefully mimicked—by those around them.

One such athlete is McDaniel, who is a leading member of FCA and is vocal about his beliefs on the football team. He often prays with teammates before games.

“Football is a game—it’s just a game,” McDaniel said. “My goal in life is to be a winner of lives, and use my position to reach others.”

Another is senior Lariette Shelby Samuels. Samuels was chosen to be team chaplain at the beginning of the season. She leads a group prayer before every halftime performance and chooses a Bible verse to laminate and distribute to the squad every week.

“I’m thankful for my position,” Samuels said. “If I can show what I believe and how I act, maybe I can get some of the other girls to focus their lives on that as well.”

McDaniel and Samuels’ beliefs are at odds with the stereotypical image football players and dancers. They are eager to use their visibility to combat this stereotype from the inside out.

“Athletes claim all the time that they’re Christian and then go attend parties on Saturday night,” McDaniel said. “Nonbelievers look at that and say ‘how does that make them any better than me?’ I try not to do that stuff. It’s all about walking the walk.”

For others, representing the faith is not so much about visibility as it is about the small things.

“When people see me, they see a Muslim person,” Hajibeigi said. “I know the way I act reflects not only on me but on my religion. I take my morals and principles with me on the field.”

This is especially important, because oftentimes opposing players leave their principles on the sideline during the game.

“In eighth grade I had a player tell me to go back to my country,” Hajibeigi said. “People don’t expect me on the soccer field. I hear the whispers and see the dirty looks, but I hold my head up. My faith is what makes me unique.”

Whether it’s about spreading the Gospel or just about making it through a tough fourth-and-one, it’s clear that CHS athletes are leaving it all—faith included—on the field.

Staff Writer

The matchups are set and the second season is ready for action. The District 6-5A race has been compelling to watch, coming down the final Friday night for the second straight season. Now the four qualifiers go into battle the state’s best.

Coppell avoided a scary situation in which they would be in a high stakes battle with Euless Trinity in the first round by beating Flower Mound last Friday. They forcefully handed that right over to Flower Mound. Flower Mound Marcus kicked Hebron out of the dance; it faces a Grapevine team they have already defeated this season.

This district has prepared these four teams, Southlake Carroll, Coppell, FM Marcus and Flower Mound for the difficult road that is the postseason. The great thing about it is, now you’re tested. You’ve been in some close games and won the majority of them so you’re prepared for it in the playoffs. It’s hard to argue district 6-5A isn’t the toughest in the area.

It’s been a surprise watching Coppell play this well with a new coach and new system. I didn’t think highly of them coming into the season but now I see a team that could really make a deep run. I’m not one to make a bunch of bold predictions, but I legitimately believe the Cowboys will go three rounds deep and be pitted in a match up with Euless Trinity in the Region I final.

College

Finally Iowa loses, if you haven’t heard, 17-10 to Northwestern. It was only a matter time after they had been trailing in multiple games this season. The Hawkeyes are not all that good; I believe Florida and Texas would beat them by 20 plus points. I don’t mean to beat a dead horse but the path seems to get clearer and clearer every week that Texas will meet the winner of the SEC championship game that is now set. Pending the end of the regular season, of course.

You what’s embarrassing? Oklahoma. I can’t fathom their downfall. I realize the loss of Heisman winning quarterback Sam Bradford and All-American tight end Jermaine Gresham has been devastating but a 10-3 loss to a Nebraska team that isn’t real good is mind-boggling.

One thing I will say, TCU can beat anyone in the country. A trip to a BCS bowl for the Horned Frogs would give that program some much deserved national attention.

Professional

Oh how things can change. Four weeks ago everyone was sure the New York Giants were the best team in the league. Now we’re wondering if they will make the playoffs. On the other side the spectrum, the Dallas Cowboys are playing their best football in years. I wasn’t a believer in them before Sunday night as they had not beaten anyone significant (yes, Atlanta is a good football team but Dallas was at home, coming off a bye week) and I didn’t like their continued struggles in close games. I now view this team in a much different light. A 9-2 record looks very feasible before heading to the Meadowlands for a showdown with the Giants. The Saints are the best in the league, just sayin.’

District 6-5A bi-district game predictions:

Coppell 35, Keller 21

Euless Trinity 38, Flower Mound 17

Grapevine 24, Flower Mound Marcus 42

Southlake Carroll 31, Colleyville Heritage 10

As a student who gets into the action of football games, I can always be seen yelling and cheering at the Coppell stadium on Friday nights. No matter if its pouring down rain or incredibly hot, I love the excitement and rush generated at each and every game.

So with Coppell’s last home game rapidly approaching, I’m sad to say goodbye to Buddy Echols Field.

Tonight’s game has been appropriately themed Senior Night for the students who have crammed in the bleachers and stuck on Coppell tattoos for the past four years. As the last time I’ll be cheering on our Coppell Cowboys at home, I’ve come to realize how little time I have left at Coppell High School.

Having spent my time stressing over tests, laughing and joking with friends over lunch, and building relationships with my favorite teachers, my years at Coppell High School were unlike any other. Although I can’t wait to begin the next chapter of my life and can hardly contain the excitement of going to college, I am sad to leave the Coppell “bubble” behind.

Realizing that I have less than seven months to make incredible memories within Coppell which will last forever, I plan to make this year count.

By going to the last home game and experiencing the fun of Senior Night, I hope to get a sense of closure and give a final farewell to this part of my life as a Coppell high school student.