“I just want to hit people!” When I was two and a half, my grandfather tells me that said that to him when we were watching a football game. I wanted to play football at that young age. I remember watching games and wanting to learn football strategy. Every Sunday was my day to watch and learn. I started playing tackle football in second grade. I played offense as a running back and defense as a defensive end. I enjoyed the game so much and I also enjoyed winning.
My high school career has been great. On the freshman team, we were undefeated. I was a middle linebacker and I loved rushing the quarterback! The split decisions that I made, challenged me. I learned a lot about my skills and my ability to run and catch the quarterback. I also played on offense as a running back. Rushing yards was my specialty. I am not afraid to run through the opposition. I am strong and that strength has served me well. My sophomore year I was switched to an outside linebacker. I really enjoyed this position and I thrived in the pressure of the position. In my junior year, I continued to develop my skills. I was on special teams and when that ball was kicked, no one could get down the field faster. This is the time where I showed others…that I could hit people. I am looking forward to my senior year. My plan is to continue as the outside linebacker but also play offense as a running back. I am interested in honing my skills and continuing to increase my speed and my strength.
One thing that has developed my speed is running track. I lettered last year by running the hurdles, both the 110 HH and the 300m H. This year, I continued with both hurdle races and added sprints, 400m and 4x400m. I also ran the 4x400m in the Indoor State Championship. My coach encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone, which showed me that I have the skills to compete in multiple races and succeed. I have improved all my times this year and the season is not over yet. I qualified for sectional in both hurdle races. I am looking forward to competing.
One of the best things about football is that it is a team sport. My teammates are important, and I am on the leadership team for the Class of 2023. I enjoy motivating the team and playing alongside my teammates. There is nothing like being on special teams and running down the field and causing a fumble…and recovering the ball and running towards the goal line—this happened last year. I am extremely competitive and I will continue to push myself to be the best I can be. I cannot wait for this season to start.
School is an important part of who I am. I really like Math and Science, so I chose Engineering as a career. I enjoy putting the pieces together and understanding how things work. I like a challenge and that is exactly what my junior year turned out to be. I learned a lot about my study habits, being more efficient with a limited amount of time, and learning the importance of decreasing distractions. I was also inducted into the National Honor Society, which was a great moment for me. Being a student athlete requires dedication and I learned to prioritize and balance school and other activities that are very important to me, like tutoring students and volunteering at my church. My schedule is busy, but I would not have it any other way.
I had a great senior year! I went for it and worked hard to accomplish my goals! I am above the national average in every defensive category with: 76 total tackles, average tackles per game 5.8, with two sacks, and one interception! I ended the year with my third varsity letter in football and the "Most improved player" award! I know that I will work hard when I play in college and I am looking forward to seeing where I will end up.
Thank you for your time.
Clayton Allen
Statistic | 2022 Varsity Team | 2021 Varsity Team | 2020 Varsity Team | 2019 Freshman Team |
---|---|---|---|---|
Games played | 13 | 10 | 4 | 9 |
Assisted tackles | 70 | 19 | 36 | |
Pass break-ups | 2 | |||
Sacks | 2 | 3 | ||
Solo tackles | 33 | 7 | 1 | 18 |
Tackles for a loss | 4.5 | 2 | ||
Interceptions | 1 | 1 | ||
Rushing attempts | 4 | |||
Rushing yards | 30 | |||
Rushing touchdowns | 1 | |||
Yards per rush | 4 |