Senior Jordon Watson leaps over the Arkansas Tech defender during the Nov 6 game. Watson hod 27 receptions for 376 yards during the 2010 season. Ashe/ Parsons On Oct. 23, sophomore joe Colvin bows his head and prays before leaving the locker room Colvin joined the football team late in the spring of 2010. Ashe/ Parsons junior running bock Kale Gelles blows through the defender in the game against Henderson State University on Oct. 23. Gelles led the Gulf South Conference in rushing at 109.9 yards per game. Ashe/ Parsons Leadership ,·· .. From the outside looking in, it may have seemed as if football came easily to the men on the football team. But regardless of how hard they played or how many wins they brought home, fans never really saw what went on in the inner circle of the team. Each year, the football team as a unit chose a select group of members to act as the voice of the players. This group was referred to as the leadership council. The support and spirit of the leadership council kept the team unified and encouraged the men to strive toward greatness on and off the field. As leaders on the squad, the men were required to listen to the concerns of the other players and either taking the issues to the coaches or handling them themselves. There were six members on the council during the 2010 season, all of whom were seniors: Kurt Adams, Jordan Watson, Marcus Jones, Eddie Russ, Jason Thomasson and Jermaine Blanchard. Together these men encouraged, supported, boosted up and prayed for their team in hopes of making it the best it could be. "Being on the leadership council allows us to speak for the team," Adams said. "If they come up to us for anything, we can go back and tell Coach Huck what's on the team's mind and talk about things we can change for the better." Watson agreed the main goal of the council was to keep the team positive and uplifted. "Really we just try and stay positive because nobody likes negative criticism," Watson said. "Whenever we see them slacking off or doing something wrong we try positive criticism and tell them that we have to work hard throughout the week if we want to win on Saturday." The seniors agreed that being in a leadership position meant 2 88 athletics ,·· .. having responsibility as role models fort he younger men on the team. "It means a lot to me to know that I have younger guys under me who look to me for guidance," Russ said. "It makes me walk a more straight and narrow road. It makes me want to work harder because it's not just me that I'm playing for or who I'm working hard for. I'm preparing for those under me who are looking up to me and taking things that I do and putting it into their routine or their regimen to meet the standards of a great player." Before each game, the leadership council members arrived at the locker room early to prepare mentally and physically for the game. Each member had his own pre-game routine, which helped put him in the appropriate state of mind for game night. "I normally getto the locker room about two hours early," Watson said. "The first hour I get my uniform ready and take my time and listen to a little bit of music.The second hour I go over the calls and plays for the game and get stressed out and get loose." Russ liked that~e team got to put on their shiny clean uniforms on after a week long of practicing in their dirty ones. "I look around tbe.~i:lcker room and see my brothers padding up and it's basically lil1e we are going to war," Russ said. The leadership council, although separate individuals, had similar goals for their futures concerning football. After graduation, they all planned to pursue the sport as far as possible. "I would love to go train and get ready for a combine," Blanchard said. "The UFL, NFL and Canadian League are all out there as an option." No matter what plans the future held for them individually, the leadership council knew their positive influences and dedication were steps in the right direction. Elumba Ebenja \
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