Football Player Profile - Tommy Avers

Tommy Avers caught the screen pass on the Dragon 35 yard line. It was his first game starting on varsity, the first game of the season. He stood on the line of scrimmage, clutching the ball and staring at the Plano West defense, the first possession of the second half. Then he took off. Down the sideline, past the 50-yard line with the SMU Mustang logo on it, further, faster, evading five Plano West defenders, and outrunning more. But that’s just how he plays.

As a junior last season, Avers proved to be a dedicated runner, not affected by the pressure and opposition all around him. He seems to just outrun both.

“I strive to give 100 percent every time I touch the field in order to give my team the best chance to win,” he said.

This is a mindset that Avers says he gets from certain professional athletes, whom he admires for their passion for the game.

“I like to look up to professional athletes that love and respect the game because they truly represent a great role model,” Avers said.

Following his simple philosophy, Avers has been working this offseason to become even better than last year, when he ran for 848 yards and seven touchdowns in the regular season.

“To prepare for next season, I’ve been working harder in the offseason and eating healthier so that my body holds up during the season,” he said.

Though he has worked on his strength and overall health, Avers says that the experience he’s gained will have the greatest impact on his game.

“I’ve gotten stronger and faster,” he said, “but the biggest improvement that you’ll see is just having another season of experience under my belt.”

Avers hopes the experience will help him meet his objectives, something he was unable to do last season.

“Last season was disappointing,” Avers said. “Not only did I not reach my personal goals, but we didn’t reach our team goal either.”

After that disappointment, Avers set and worked towards even loftier goals this year.

“I want to be first team all district and hopefully make all area,” he said. “As far as the team goes, we want to end this season with a victory, and nothing less.”

However, Avers says that reaching his goals isn’t the most important part about football, but rather the bonds that he has developed on the team.

"The most important thing that I receive from football is the teamwork and group reliance that you learn from playing,”he said. “The best part of playing is the team camaraderie between the guys.”

Despite all of this, this year, his senior year, may be the last year that Avers plays football, as he intends to focus on baseball once he graduates. Avers, who balances football and baseball with school and a job is also planning for life outside of athletics.

“I am going to play baseball in college,” he said, “and I want to graduate with a degree in something so that I can start off with a good job.”

By Sean Meehan, Carroll Boosters Staff Writer